Deception
by atrt7900
Summary: With the world spinning out of balance, people are struggling to survive. Eight years have passed, and the future looks more bleak than ever. War is common, and a previous industrializing age is nothing but a shadow if its former self. However, as secrets begin to unravel, more begin to realize that not everything is what it seems. SYOC
1. Prologue

It was absolutely storming.

The sky was dark, overcast with gloomy gray clouds. The wind howled. The rain poured heavily onto the ground. The sound of thunder filled the air. It was the type of weather where families stayed inside their households, huddled with their family members as they exchanged stories about their days. They would be sipping their hot chocolate, glancing affectionately at their Pokemon while they either sat and listened to their trainers' stories or played with each other, lost in their own worlds. Family members wouldn't go outside when they could stay inside the cozy confides of their households. They already had everything they already needed.

However, that was another time. That was the past. And now was the present.

A little boy ran down ravaged streets, his soggy and already dirtied sneakers pounding onto the cracked cement. He was holding a bag of stashed food, keeping it close to his chest, trying to keep it as dry as possible. His long brown bangs were plastered to his forehead, wet from the constant downpour, and he shivered as the wind picked up. His Emolga flew beside him, or at least attempted to. With the strong winds, it was rather hard to glide easily alongside the boy.

A broken down house came into view, and the little boy breathed out a sigh of relief. Next to him, his Emolga let out a squeak of joy and glided ahead of him, or at least attempted to. The wind pushed the little Pokemon back, nearly hitting the brunette boy in the face had he not dodged. While clutching to his bag of foods in one hand, he reached out to the Emolga and held her close to his chest. With the Pokemon and his food in his arms, the boy picked up his pace, wanting to get back to his home as soon as possible, desperate to escape the ongoing storm.

As he got to the front door of his home, the boy reached out for the door knob, before stopping suddenly. He glanced around nervously, blue eyes scanning his surroundings carefully despite wanting to finally go inside and dry off. He took a few steps back, trying to get a closer look around the area before nodding to himself. Deeming it safe, he went back to the front porch and opened the door, before shutting behind him softly, locking it as he did so. He moved the chair next to the door under the knob for extra security.

The house was a lot warmer than he expected and he sighed out yet another breath of relief, another days work finally behind him. He let his Emolga jump out of his arms, as she chirped again and shook her fur dry. He took a mental note to set aside a towel at the front door for the Pokemon and himself as he wrung out the water from his clothes that were clinging to his skin, having set aside the food on the ground nearby.

Once completely dried off, he made his way through the broken down home, taking out an apple from the bag as he carried it down the hall. The ceiling seemed ready to give away itself, but for some reason, still managed to keep itself up. The boy was just thankful it was still going strong.

"Mom? Mom, I'm home," he called. He entered the room to his left and sat next to his mom's bedside. "I've got you some food. Finally managed to get to an abandoned grocery store that still had some good stuff left." The 9 year old boy gave her the apple he was holding while taking out a banana for his own. His mom's Duosion floated into the room, greeting the boy with a nod as it settled down next to the Emolga.

His mother smiled weakly, gratefully taking the apple from her son, her own brown hair a tangled mess on the pillows. "T-thank you sweetheart. Y'know… you didn't have to do this right?" She suddenly coughed violently, curling up her body as she did so. Her Duosion floated up near her bedside, obviously concerned for her.

He shook his head desperately, his hand on her back as he gave her the nearly empty water bottle at her bedside. "Would you stop saying that? I promised Dad that I would take care of you while he was gone, and I intend to keep that promise," he said, a lot more mature than any other normal 9 year old boy. Granted, he had to be. He was the man of the household now. Even though it was just him and his mom left. And the Pokemon.

He knew his mom felt guilty on having her son do everything while in her weakened state. There were countless times when she told him to leave her. To take care of himself. To save himself and not have to worry anyone besides himself. He knew she thought she was going to die sooner or later, and language aside, he would be damned before letting anything happen to her.

"But only if you would-"

There was a slam. Something clattered onto the ground. There were muffled voices. Two male. One female. "Finally, we got that god-damned door open," the boy heard someone say.

The boy and his mother froze. Someone- no. People had broken into their tiny shack of a home. The boy's eyes widened as he panicked to himself. He had checked his surroundings before getting into the house! The house already looked abandoned from the outside, had these strangers saw him come into the house? Did they know people were living in here? His mother's Duosion got up and floated out of the room with a small cry, ready to take on the trespassers to protect his trainer and her son.

The mother reached out and grabbed his wrist gently before tugging him by her side. She gave him a close hug while whispering a quick, "I love you," to him, while telling him to hide under the bed with his Emolga. Her son was frozen, too busy panicking to himself to reciprocate the hug. The woman then got up, mustering up any strength she had left to protect them herself, and shoved her son and Emolga under the bed. The boy was too frozen to fight back and defy his mother's order. Instead, in his own cowardice, he curled up to himself under her bed, hugging his Emolga close to him, and shut his eyes tightly, trying to block out what was happening.

There was a cry. And then some laughter. Not the giggly fun-loving kind of laughter, but a darker, more sinister one. "Ha!" he heard a man shout. "That little thing actually thought it could do a number on us!"

"Shut up would you?" a woman said. "There isn't just a Duosin here. Remember your job. We still got things to take care of."

The footsteps were closer than ever, and before he knew it, the intruders had set foot into the room. "Oh? Now who do we have here?"

There was a pause. The boy shivered to himself, ashamed of his cowardly actions and shut his eyes even tighter, small tears attempting to escape his eyelids. He had promised to protect his mother, and what was he doing now? He heard his mother's voice, the coldest he had ever heard it. "Just a woman. Trying to survive."

A longer pause. A few more steps. And then a man's voice. "Are you.. the only one here?"

"Yes."

The longest silence the boy had ever experienced in his 9 years of living then commenced. And then it ended. "Liar."

A snap of someone's fingers.

Then there was a growl. A ferocious one. A resounding crunch. A horrible, horrible sound. The boy decided to open his eyes, just a little tiny bit, and was met with a horrifying sight.

Blood. All over the ground. His mother's body, now dead body lying on top of her own pool of blood. Brown eyes still wide open in surprise, her mouth slightly agape. Never again would he hear her soft voice. Her quiet laughter. Her gentle smile.

Never. Ever. Again.

He couldn't look away. He had to cover his mouth or else he would have screamed. His Emolga curled itself closer in his arms, just as frightened as he was.

A pair of feet walked around his mother's corpse. Slowly. Mockingly. "Y'know, my Mightyena has an… extremely strong sense of smell. With some extremely sharp teeth. You can't _just_ trick a Pokemon like this any day. And besides, we already knew you weren't the only one here." A foot nudged his mom's dead body to the side. The Mightyena started to growl softly.

"But don't worry. We're only here to pay a visit. We'll be out shortly. We just need to get some supplies that would really _really_ help us out."

The Mightyena's growls got even louder. "… Isn't that right?"

The boy didn't even have any time to scream before he was finished off.

* * *

 _ **There is war.**_

 _ **What was once a peaceful era, where human and Pokemon coexisted together in harmony, is now gone.**_

 _ **What was once a bustling and industrializing world was now replaced by a ravaged and destroyed one. Where there were billions of people, there was now less than fifty thousand. Where there were billions upon billions of Pokemon, there were lesser Pokemon than anyone could ever imagine.**_

 _ **There is no law and order. The world is in chaos.**_

 _ **It's every man for themselves.**_

 _ **Will you make alliances? Will you fend everyone off yourself? Will you trust the gradually growing government trying to establish order again? Or are these just independent organizations working for their own gain?**_

 _ **One thing is clear. You can't trust anybody. Everyone is struggling to survive.**_

 _ **So how will you?**_

* * *

So why hello there! This is my first SYOC thing here in general. I honestly wrote this up in a spur of the moment kind of thing.

I'm not generally an active writer, nor am I a great writer myself. So if you have any criticisms, feel free to do so. If anything, my writing is all over the place, and my ideas aren't exactly the best.

But ehhh, it'll have to do here I guess.

My updates for this fic will be rather spontaneous. I'm not sure if I'll update as often as many other fanfic writers since I am such a procrastinator. Plus, high schools been getting to me lately, and I can't afford myself to slack off. Unless I've been hit with a giant plot bunny and I'm really inspired, then chances are, I'm gonna be writing a lot.

But as for now? I'm not sure. But, I'll do my best!

So feel free to submit an OC. I'll be looking forward to seeing them! The OC form will be on my profile, so check it out!

Bye for now!

* * *

PLEASE READ THE RULES. I will be accepting 3 Males and 2 Females. Maybe I'll accept more depending on how good the OC is and how I can easily incorporate them in the story, but as for now, I think I can only handle 5 characters.

 **Rules:**

1\. Label it SYOC: (Character Name) would you please?

2\. Follow the Guidelines in parenthesis. Delete everything in the said parenthesis before submitting the form. It just makes it easier to read.

3\. I have the right to reject your Oc. So if I don't like your OC, you cannot get mad about it.

4\. Follow and leave a review! Honestly, I just wanna know whether or not you've read it or not. And what's the point of submitting an OC when you don't follow the story?

5\. Submit your OC in Pm only. Don't do it on reviews. If you do, I'm just going to ignore it completely.

6\. For reassurance's sake, no worries, I'm gonna read through every single one and reply to every single one eventually. So if you're worried that I'll ignore yours don't worry. I'll read through it eventually and tell you whether or not your OC is accepted

7\. At the TOP of your application write "I have read the rules and accepted the rules of this SYOC." I'm gonna need proof to know you've read it after all.

 **Character:** (As of now, only one more male will be accepted, depending on how good he is and how easy it will be to incorporate him in the plot I have in mind right now. So do your very best!)

 **Name:** (first and last name. You can put a middle name if you'd like. And please, don't use those Japanese-like names unless you have a reason. Like if your character is Asian)

 **Nickname:** (optional)

 **Gender:**

 **Age:** (Can be any age. From between 13-21 I guess. You can go a little younger or older if you want though, but there has to be a reason)

 **Appearance:** (Don't give me a short descriptive. Is your character tall? Short? Lean? Color of their hair? Skin tone? Eye color? Give me descriptive colors as well like auburn brown or emerald green or something. And please, just go with the generic hair colors and eye colors. I don't want sky blue hair with red eyes. Sorry.)

 **Main outfit:** (Remember. This is an apocalyptic setting. So that doesn't mean your character can go around looking perfect everywhere he/she goes. Be realistic please!)

 **Personality:** (Once again. Be descriptive. At least 6 lines of text. If you say "Pretty. Smart. Athletic. Nice. Friendly." I'm rejecting that application right away. Be creative! A great personality gives me lots to work with and chances of being accepted even bigger)

 **History:** (Once again, be creative. 6 lines at least. Give me something to work with. Make a really good history, and your chances of being accepted and as being a main character are even bigger. What was their life before the apocalypse? Take note that it started 8 years ago or so.)

 **Hometown:** (I'd say this takes place in the Hoenn region, since I'm mostly familiar with that region. But every Pokemon is fair game!)

 **Weapon:** (Optional. If you're gonna say any weapon, tell me how they got their weapon. Are they learning to use it? Are they already an experienced user? Granted, your character might appear in the story not having their weapon /at all/, but chances are, they might get a weapon eventually. Maybe. I'm a little unsure if this category is even needed cuz they have Pokemon xD)

 **Romance:** (yes/no)

 **Sexual Orientation:** (Bi? Homosexual? Heterosexual? Asexual? Pansexual?)

 **Type of Person that attracts them:** (what are they looking for in a partner?)

 **Death:** (Yes/No? Do you want your character to die?)

 **Quotes:** (things your character would say)

 **Skills + Hobbies:** (give me a variety of these)

 **Likes/Dislikes:** (same as above)

 **Fears:**

 **Battle Style:** (Three sentences minimum here)

 **Pokemon:** (Two max here. You can include a third that _might_ come to play later, but that can't be guaranteed. Pokeballs are a rarity here in this verse so yea. Also, please let's give the underrated Pokemon a shot. Don't make every Pokemon you have a legendary or a pseudo or an overrated Pokemon. Only one starter max. **)**

 **Species:**

 **Nickname:** (optional)

 **Gender:**

 **Ability:**

 **Moves:** (4-7 moves if you would!)

 **Personality:** (Doesn't have to be as greatly described, but give me something to work with as well)

 **History:** (how did they meet your character? What's their relationship?

 **Evolve?:**


	2. Chapter 1: Beginnings

Surprisingly, I got this done. Huh, I expected to finish this chapter within what… 6 months? Considering my slow pace, it's entirely possible. But somehow I'm finding myself motivated with this story. Now if I can keep it up is what I should mainly worry about.

Though finals week has officially murdered me. Like per usual.

 **snowwolf12132** \- I actually was considering on letting the kid stay alive, but then decided against it. I had actually written a draft for that, but I just couldn't get the ending right… The something just seemed missing or whatever. So I decided to end it with the kid dying and voila! Worked out surprisingly well. And hopefully I can keep this story interesting for you!

 **maycontestdrew** \- Why thank you, I should hope my writing style is engaging. I'm still trying to work it out though, and I'm sure there's going to be quite a bit of errors in this chapter, so apologies on that end. And I hope you'll enjoy this story (assuming I can keep up with it haha)

 **ShadedLyht** \- Unexpected? The end was unexpected? Haaaahhh, I honestly thought the end was pretty predictable. I'm glad that you thought so! And thanks for the support, hopefully I can keep up with expectations!

 **Farla** \- I'll have to thank you for the criticism. I was pretty aware of plotholes then and it was bugging me a bit, so your review really helped me out in that department. I'm honestly happy that you took the time to write out that entire part and elaborated it clearly for me. So thank you! I really appreciate that :)

 **PBComplextion** \- Thanks! I'm glad my writing style intrigued you, and I hope I can keep it up. And much thanks for reading the rules too. And welll, one of your Pokemon is rather overrated, but as long as there's a justification (and a good one at that), I'm rather ok with it. Thanks for the support, it means a lot.

 **SnapshotSilica** \- Thank you for the support! And yea, like I said I was honestly going to let the boy stay alive, but decided against it, because once again, I couldn't get the ending right. What else could the boy have done? Cry? I mean I wanted to created an impact of sorts, and I felt that sparing him wouldn't... create that? I'm just confusing you am I. Well enough of that, I hope this is a good chapter for you!

And without further ado, here's the first chapter!

* * *

 **2138:**

 **11 years ago**

* * *

The smell of the fresh air in the tiny town never failed to relax him.

As the man walked down the dirt road, he stared up at the sky, glancing at the rising sun as it gradually brightened it up, colors blending together to make a magnificent sight. He could hear the enthusiastic chirps of passerby Pokemon, whether it be a trainer's Pokemon or a wild one. It was rather relaxing, and he could feel the tension at his shoulders leaving as he passed by trainers ready to start their days.

It had been a long three days. Three, long, stressful days. Days that had him working for entire nights, which he usually never had to do. As a Pokemon doctor, it was his duty to take care of the injured at the Pokemon Center, and he was well aware of his job. However, it was one of those rare nights that had him running around the center, hopping in different rooms every few or so minutes to tend to each and every individual Pokemon. His eyes were heavy, he noted as he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, and he just wanted to collapse on his bed and take a long nap.

Well. That and greet his beautiful wife and daughter at their home of course. He hadn't seen or heard of them the entire time he was working, as he was cooped up in the center.

He gripped the handle of his suitcase harder and picked up his pace a little, eager to finally return to the warm household.

There was a gentle breeze and another wave of fresh air, one that Verdenturf Town was famous for. He was rather glad he and his wife decided to move into this town. One that was remote, wasn't urban. Just one that was fresh and pure. It was one of those towns that just radiated happiness. Townspeople always seemed to have a content smile on their faces. Children were always roaming around the town, laughing and giggling as they played games with each other. It was common to see a group of Pokemon under a tree, lazing around under the cool weather.

He definitely preferred a countryside town over a metropolitan city. The content environment was something that he craved.

He soon reached the doorstep to his small house and smiled to himself at the familiar sight. "I'm home!" he called as he opened the door.

When he went inside and closed the door, he could hear the small pitter-patter of tiny feet running towards his direction. "Dad! You're back!" a young 12 year old girl shouted, as she threw her arms out to him. He hugged her in return, noting at how she seemed to be growing taller day by day. His Castform floated to him from behind his daughter, letting out a squeak as a greeting. When he let go of his daughter, the man patted Castform's head, as it laughed and nuzzled him in return.

"How was work?" his daughter asked, bouncing on her heels, as he hung his coat on the hanger next to the door and set his suitcase down. She hadn't started her Pokemon journey yet, as she had opted to stay at home. She still felt too attached to her home, and didn't feel the need to leave so early. Instead she felt like she was too young, and the blonde wanted to fully prepare herself for her journey. She didn't even want to be a trainer or coordinator. If anything, she wanted to be a nurse or doctor, just like her dad.

She didn't need to leave the house in order to be a doctor. She could just learn from him.

"Tiring," he answered. "But rewarding, like always," he smiled, ruffling her hair as he walked by her, in search of his wife. The girl pouted as she tried to refix her now mused up hair.

He found his wife in the kitchen, next to the stove as she was making breakfast for the family. Her Bellossom was on the counter, as it seemed like the grass type Pokemon was keeping track of the toast in the toaster oven to make sure it didn't burn.

"Well… Were you too busy to even say hello to your dearly beloved?" the man drawled teasingly, draping himself over her back as he hugged her, her back against his chest. He could already tell what her reaction was going to be though.

The woman rolled her eyes at his action, flipping over the omelet in the pan as she did so. "I could've said hello sooner had I not been a good wife and made you and the family breakfast." She nudged his side with her elbow, glancing to side to smirk at him playfully. "I mean I could just leave this up to yourself, but we all know how horrible you are in the kitchen."

He raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

She turned back to face the stove, deeming the omelet perfectly fried before turning the stove off. "You're excused, darling," she said, only to be answered by a good-natured chuckle. She felt his grip around her waist tighten as the dark-brunette nuzzled his head into the curve of her neck. "Did you miss me though?" he muttered, placing a small kiss on her neck.

The blonde woman sighed once again and smiled softly. "Don't be so full of yourself," she said, before turning completely to face him, his arms still around her. "But I did miss you. I guess," she looked into his eyes as she said so, pulling him in for a quick kiss before shoving him lightly away.

"Now get going, you still got a table to set up. I mean, I can't do everything around here all the time y'know? I still got some frying to finish up here."

The man laughed to himself, as he proceeded to do so. His eyes were locked onto his wife's back, pondering to himself at what he even did to deserve such a person. He always wondered why and how the woman fell in love with him. What he even did, he didn't know. But he was glad to have her and their daughter and Pokemon in his life.

He heard his wife shout for their daughter to come help her out with breakfast when he was done setting up the table. His daughter flew into the kitchen, Castform following close behind her. The Pokemon had a certain attachment to her, even though he was his Pokemon. The man would make an exception though, the Pokemon had been with her ever since she was born.

His daughter made her way to her mother, soon enough bickering with the woman about the differences between chocolate and vanilla, as she preferred the former over the ladder. Her mother couldn't understand her child's fondness toward chocolate ice cream for some reason. Their bickering continued on for a few minutes, and the man laughed to himself again. The woman's Bellossom turned gaze away from the toaster oven, to send an annoyed and resigned glance at the duo, before glancing at the man. She rolled her eyes as she gestured to them, but the man knew better. The small smile creeping its way to the Pokemon's face clearly gave her away, but he decided to indulge her anyway as he nodded at her.

It was times like these where he could completely forget just how tired he even was because of the wonderful people and Pokemon that made up his family.

Once again, what did he do to deserve them? He had no idea. But he was just so so glad he could spend the rest of his life with his family and Pokemon.

However, as he gave his full attention to the humorous argument in front of him, the man didn't notice the sudden quietness that fell around the town.

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Beginnings**

 **2149: Present**

* * *

Kaitlyn Brooks was in a tight spot. Definitely, in a tight spot.

Currently, the nineteen-year old girl was scavenging around the abandoned town in the middle of Route 103, looking for something, anything, to eat. Whether it be a loaf of bread or a small Oran Berry, she didn't care. Her stomach definitely wouldn't complain. She just needed something to eat. And some water would also help her predicament a lot as well.

Though it would help more if she could get some food for her Pokemon first. Surely they deserved the food more than her, for all the hard work they even do. She probably could last for another few more days without food.

Her Petilli hopped around next to her, just as desperate as Kaitlyn was, as he scavenged around as well. Looking to the side, he saw his trainer glancing around the vicinity, before eyeing the broken down Pokemart store. Well, whatever remained of it anyways.

Walls were cracked and the ceiling looked like it was about to inwardly collapse. The Petilli floated over to the door of the Pokemart, observing it. He noted that it was jammed shut.

He heard his trainer's footsteps behind him. She placed her hand on the jammed door, looking for any way to open the jammed slide doors. She sighed and put her hand down, noting that there wasn't any use. The Petilli continued to nudge her, encouraging her to try and find another way, but she only shook her head.

"Leo, it's ok. We can always try food in another town or store anyways," she said to the grass type Pokemon. Both of them however, knew that chances of doing that were low.

The last time Kaitlyn and her Pokemon had a meal was probably a week ago, and the last time they even had any water was two days ago. Kaitlyn had always had a scrawny and gangly build. Everyone knew about that. People had always compared to her to a fishbone back then, much to her dismay.

Add that to the current situation she was in, and she was severely malnourished. Leo wouldn't be surprised if people started comparing Kaitlyn to a skeleton rather than a fishbone.

She may be determined to give him whatever rations they found, but she obviously forgot how stubborn he could be. He already promised to look out for her and Kit, the Vibrava who was currently resting in Kaitlyn's Pokeball, and he intended to keep that promise.

No matter the circumstances, he had vowed to keep a smile on their faces. The Petilli never wanted to let either Kaitlyn or Kit down. Ever. Again.

The girl however, didn't seem to notice his reverie, as she turned to walk away, ready to find another place to search at, dull green eyes hopelessly scanning around the area again. Leo immediately snapped out of his thoughts, and quickly made his way over her, tugging at her dark turquoise jacket to stop her from walking. He pulled at her jacket pocket, gesturing toward Kit's Pokeball. _Kit's right here, just have him break down the door!_ he thought, trying to convey his thoughts as best as he could through his squeaks.

She continued to look cluelessly at him, but understood that he wanted her to take Kit out of his Pokeball. She took out the Pokeball and enlarged it, before throwing it up in the air.

The Vibrava was released into the air, settling down onto the girl's head, briefly musing up her auburn hair. _Did you need something?_

Kit glanced at her, expecting her to give him a command to do something, but she shook her head, gesticulating toward Leo instead. Leo cleared his throat lightly, catching the Vibrava's attention. _Apparently, Kaitlyn forgot that you could easily bust down this door, and gave up, thinking that there's no hope left or this Pokemart. That silly girl. Mind proving her wrong?_ He was answered with a slow nod in return.

The Vibrava was about to power up to unleash an Earth Power, determined to break down the doors that would promise their own survival. Kaitlyn's eyes widened, becase much to the Pokemons' dismay, still having no idea what he was doing. "W-wait, Kit. What are yo-"

And then, the silence that surrounded them stopped.

A tell-tale snap of a twig underfoot. Someone was behind them, and he or she was getting closer. She hoped to Arceus that the said person hadn't seen her.

She couldn't deal with a confrontation. She could _afford_ a confrontation.

Kit had stopped powering up his Earth Power and was looking nervously at the direction of the noise. Kaitlyn seemed to be about to get into a panic attack. The only one in the group to keep a level head was Leo, and he ushered everyone as quickly as his little form could to the side of the building, behind a bush. It really was the only place that provided any protection at such an open area.

It was a young man. One with extremely pale skin and raven black hair tied back into a slight ponytail with some strands of hair framing his face. His skin and hair a complete mess, probably because he hadn't washed himself for a long time. He had surprisingly different colored eyes, his left eye blue and right eye green. He was extremely tall compared to her measly 5'5 too as he seemed to be at least 6 feet tall. Perhaps taller. Kaitlyn was intimidated already.

But that wasn't all.

If anything really really intimidated her, it was the nasty scar over his right eye. She had no idea what the young man ever did to even get that scar in the first place, but she didn't even want to know. She didn't want to involve herself with him. She had no idea what he would even do with her if he found her out.

What could he even do? Demand supplies from her? Demand her to hand over her Pokemon? Mock her for her current situation? Injure her with a weapon or with his Pokemon?

Take advantage of her? She shuddered to herself at the horrid thought.

The opportunities were endless. And see here, this is why she didn't want to involve herself with anyone ever again.

She had no idea if the man had seen her hiding behind the sad excuse of a hiding spot, but it was the only thing she had. She could only just hope that he had not seen any sign of her and move along. Or hope that he had at least some pity to let her go. If the food in the Pokemart was all he wanted, she would gladly hand it over. Really. She would. Whole-heartedly.

Two Pokemon followed him by his side. A bipedal, gray, fox like Pokemon with crimson and black accents, smirking to himself as he trotted alongside his trainer. The other Pokemon looked rather similar to him, except having yellow and white fur rather than shades of black, gray, and crimson. She had a long snout, with giant yellow and red ears. A Zoroark and a Braixen.

Even if they were found and stood their ground to fight, Kaitlyn knew it would be hopeless for them. She wasn't even a great fighter, let alone a battler. And the type-disadvantage was discouraging as well.

The raven-haired man slowed his already slow pace, pulling to a stop right in front of the Pokemart doors. There was a pause, as he studied a door, and then he eyed the dark-type Pokemon next to him. The said Pokemon seemed to know exactly what to do.

Getting his paws in position, the Zoroark got ready for a powerful Focus Blast, intent on blasting open the door as he proceeded to do so. The door soon enough gave away, leaving an opening that anyone could follow through. The man was about to crawl his way through, but first gave a look to the fire type Pokemon behind him, and she nodded in return. Steadily, the man made his way into the Pokemart, the dark-type Pokemon following close behind him. The Braixen stayed behind, standing right in front of the Pokemart store.

The Pokemon was keeping watch. Oh dear Arceus, Kaitlyn was screwed.

The Pokemon patrolled around the front of the building, her orange cat-like eyes observing everything around her. Moments after looking, her gaze rested on a bush. The very same bush that Kaitlyn and the others were trying to hide behind.

Kaitlyn knew what this meant. They were seen. If only she had a good escape route. But if she even stepped a foot out of her sad hiding spot, she would be out in the open. And who knows what that Pokemon would do.

She quietly returned Kit into his Pokeball, ignoring his protests to stay out to support his trainer. She tried to do the same with Leo, but he refused to even do so, defiantly glaring at her, daring for her to even try doing so.

What could have been minutes felt like hours. Hours that the fox like Pokemon spent staring. Just staring. With no signs of doing anything otherwise.

The man carefully stepped back outside, carrying a few bags of food and supplies in his hands, and approached the silent fire-type Pokemon, Zoroark following close behind. He stopped in his tracks when the Pokemon faced him, raising an eyebrow, as if he was silently communicating with her.

He took a step toward the bush. Kaitlyn stiffened up, huddling herself as close to the bush as possible. Her knees were pushed to her chest as she wrapped her arms around them, head buried in her knees as she shivered in anticipation. Leo tensed up as well, readying himself to jump out and fight if he needed to.

There was another long silence.

Then a voice. "... I know you're there," the man softly said.

Her breathing shifted into something more extreme. Leo could tell Kaitlyn was hyperventilating now. The man and the Pokemon could probably hear her erratic breathing even from there, as it gradually got even louder.

The Petilli knew he had to do something. Hadn't he promised he would look out for her and Kit no matter what? What type of Pokemon would he be if he couldn't?

At the moment, one thing was clear. Kaitlyn was in trouble. And she didn't have any idea what to do. It was that man's fault. It was his fault she was in this state in the first place. He was a threat to them. He was a threat to their safety. He was a threat to Kaitlyn's safety. The Petilli had no idea what he had to do to get the man to leave them alone but he -

And then suddenly the Pokemon felt… content. There was a reassuring voice that he could hear from the back of his head, just talking to him. A calm, soothing voice. He didn't know where it came from, but he felt like he was at peace.

 _Don't worry._ The faint voice said, quietly speaking to him. It sounded a little muffled, and he could barely hear it, but he still managed to decipher the words. _Trust your instincts. You and your trainer will be safe. Don't fear what's ahead of you. There's nothing to worry about._

Strangely enough, he believed the sincere voice. He could feel himself relax, and he got up a bit from the ground, rustling a few stray leaves as he did so. It caught Kaitlyn's attention, as she lifted her head from her knees. They exchanged a look, and her eyes widened when she figured out what the Pokemon was going to do. "Leo, what are you-"

He carefully stepped out of the bush, facing the man and his two Pokemon. The man was crouching down to be leveled with Leo, as if to show that he meant no harm. The two other Pokemon were still standing, but they didn't seem to be in a battle position or anything. If anything, they seemed to have their guards completely down The Zoroark was nonchalantly glancing at the sky, not really caring about the situation presented in front of him while the Braixen had a rather gentle smile on her face.

Leo felt more reassured. He still had his guard up a bit, but he felt better about the situation.

The Braixen took a step toward him. He stiffened again.

The Pokemon started to speak to him. _You're still worried? Don't worry, Warren wouldn't hurt anyone._

Leo eyed the man's burn scar on his face. The Braixen cringed slightly and sighed. Well. Without reason.

Her troubled expression then cleared up as quick as it had gone away. _He's a gentle soul, I promise. I know he seems like he wouldn't be with how intimidating he looks, but he's anything but that. If anything, he was wondering if you guys needed anything._ She gestured to the bags on the ground with a sweep of her tail.

The Petilli weighed his were food. Supplies. Everything that they had needed for the past week was in those bags. Only a fool wouldn't accept them.

But then again. How could he risk his trainer's safety if the Pokemon was lying?

The voice inside his head spoke again. _Don't doubt yourself. The answer is right in front of you. You are safe. There's nothing to worry about._

The Petilli found himself slowly nodding, agreeing with the voice. It sounded much more clear, not as muffled as it was before. There was that sincerity and clarity that had him convinced that the voice was speaking nothing but the truth.

He decided to take a gamble. He took a step toward the man.

He knew he was pushing his luck. His instincts were telling him that the man had good intentions for whatever reason, and he decided to trust them. However, if his instincts were wrong, then it could be all over for them. They could be dead in seconds. It was a risky move.

But it was a risk he was willing to take.

There was no reaction from the man. He was still crouched down. His physical features still frightened him a little, with his big build and everything. But there was a certain aura around him. Something Leo couldn't explain. Is aura was anything but intimidating. Trusting.

He took another step. And then another step. Until he was right in front of the man, making eye contact with him. Then a long silence.

A tall man, a tiny Pokemon, and a long silence.

The man brought his hand up, hovering a bit over Leo's head. Watching from behind the bush, Kaitlyn tensed up again. Leo didn't move.

What happened next was surprising to Kaitlyn, yet not so astonishing to Leo.

The man smiled softly. And pat Leo's head. The voice at the back of Leo's head once again spoke. _See? You were worrying too much. You are safe. You were worrying about nothing._

And then Leo understood.

"Wait.. Leo?" He heard Kaitlyn's voice from afar, her voice sounding slightly betrayed. Breaking eye contact with the man, the Pokemon bounded back toward his trainer, nudging her out of the bush in the process, intentionally doing so to force his trainer to meet the man. The raven-haired man wasn't a threat, and he didn't want his trainer to fret any longer. _Though easily said then done,_ he thought, as Kaitlyn cowered slightly from the man's rather terrifying height as he stood up.

He could've sworn he heard the Zoarark's snickers a few feet away, only to stop after a hard shove from the Braixen. Yeah. Serves him right.

Kaitlyn stood in front of the man and felt like she was shrinking under the man's steady gaze. Yes, she generally trusted Leo's judgement. His judgement was normally a lot better than her's, but that didn't mean she wasn't careful. She cleared her throat a little, and winced at how loud it was. "Um.. hello."

No reply.

"Um… I'm Kaitlyn, and this is Leo," she introduced awkwardly.

A long pause. And then a reply. "Warren. The Zoroark is Vex and the Braixen is Vera," he said curtly. Both of the Pokemon nodded.

There was another long awkward pause. Kaitlyn was too nervous to easily execute the conversation and Warren too unused to talking to others to do so.

With bags of supplies still in one of his hands, he took out a separate bag and gruffly held it out in front of him. Kaitlyn flinched at his sudden movement, but calmed down when she realized what he was doing. She eyed the bag, raising an eyebrow slightly. _What am I supposed to do here?_

Warren sighed in slight exasperation. His arm was getting tired holding out this bag for the auburn-haired girl. Slowly, to not startle the girl, he placed the bag of supplies into her arms and stepped back, not knowing what else to do. Vex snickered at his trainer's awkwardness.

She looked through the contents in the bag and smiled, her green eyes slowly brightening. Everything they needed was in here. From first-aid supplies, to cooking equipment. There was a map, matches, rope, and so _so_ much food. She never expected such a gruff man to be so… kind. In a world like this, it wasn't uncommon for people to steal from each other or even kill each other for whatever contents they had. In a world like this, it was hard to find such kindness from other people. Frankly, she was lucky she managed to come across this guy out of all things. "Thanks," she smiled.

He stuffed his hands in his pockets as he turned around, making his way to leave. Wait. He was leaving already?

"W-wait!"

He turned around to face her, eyeing her carefully. For a moment Kaitlyn was intimidated again from his demeanor, suddenly well aware of the burn scar on his face again. Granted his burn scar seemed to take up most of his face, though it was mostly centered around his right eye. For some reason she had completely forgotten it was there for a while.

It was with that she remembered his generosity. His surprising gentleness. And suddenly she wasn't so scared anymore.

"Um… if that's alright with you… could I join you?" she asked quietly.

There was an inexplicable sort of emotion she could see in his eyes as she had asked the question, she realized, as if he was in some sort of turmoil. She immediately regretted it. She obviously did not think this through and cringed at her… eloquent words. Even if he had been incredibly kind, he probably wouldn't appreciate her intrusiveness. Oh Arceus, what if he just preferred to spend his time alone? She really screwed up here.

Kaitlyn took a step back, ready to make a quick retreat, stumbling across her words. "I-i mean, if that's ok with you, b-but if it's not then that's totally fine. I mean, it's not like I'm going to be offended, if anything you're the one who's probably going to be offended. Oh gosh, you are offended are you, I'm so sorry about th-" she stopped in mid-babble when she felt Vex nudged her slightly, cackling under his breath, probably because of her embarrassment.

Warren's back was facing her again his head still turned to her though. Without any words he gestured her to come with him as he continued walking to the direction he was heading to before. It was acknowledgment. It was acceptance.

It was his confirmation.

And that was more than enough for her.

So without any words either, she picked up her pace to catch up with the silent man, Leo following behind her with Vex and Vera following Warren's lead.

* * *

The glaring sun. The blue skies and white clouds. The unpredictable landscapes. The rustling of the leaves. The shifts of the wind patterns. The cries of the wild Pokemon.

The calls of the wild.

It was something that Aster Drake always craved for if he was being honest with himself. It was the one thing that seemed to remain a constant because if anything, there was never a chance that it would disappear.

The world that was now was an unstable one. He could still remember when everything crashed down around him, and even then he still had no idea how such a innocent world turned into something like this. It was like something that only happened in fiction. He could still remember a video game that he had played as a child that had an eerily similar plot to this, but even then he could never finish the game due to it's difficulty. But nothing about that.

Dwelling on the past wasn't going to change anything. This was a literal game of survival. And at the moment his life was in peril.

As if she could read his thoughts, his Gardevoir, Celestine, looked at him exasperatedly.

Okay, so maybe he was exaggerating. But even then, he was caught in a dead end.

His supply stock was reaching to an all new low, and it was beginning to worry him. The place he was at was also leaving him more apprehensive than ever as well. Not to mention, his need for some food. A readjusted his backpack, wincing at it's lightness.

He needed to find a new client. Anyone really, he didn't even care. As more time passed he had less and less clients. Probably because they either died or just never felt the need to come back. Population patterns and all that crap. The black-haired teen tensed up again. Celestine shoved at him in an attempt to calm him and break the tension. It was a rather horrible attempt though, as it had nearly knocked him over, causing him to uncharacteristically stumble on his feet. She smiled sweetly at him, as he whipped around to glare at the Psychic-type Pokemon, and he noticed how overly sweet it was. He narrowed his eyes at her. She laughed. Mhm. Yeah, sure. How hilarious.

He knew what she was trying to do though, and appreciated her actions, knowing full well what her actions meant. He thanked the Gardevoir after she was done laughing with a simple pat on her shoulder. In a way, she was right. He was more determined than ever before

No matter the circumstances, he wasn't going to give in. Not a chance.

After all, he was the Devil. And the Devil had a reputation to uphold after all.

* * *

 **Kaitlyn Brooks** \- Leo (Petilli) and Kit (Vibrava) - _SnapshotSilica_

 **Warren Monger** \- Vex (Zoroark) and Vera (Braixen) - _W. R. Winters_

 **Aster Drake** \- Celestine (Gardevoir) and (?) - _PBComplexion_

* * *

And with that is the first chapter! I'm not sure if this was the best writing, as some parts felt choppy, but ehhh it'll do. I'm pretty happy with how long it was though, I've never really written long chapters before. My max was always like 2K and that was it. I definitely had lots of fun writing this chapter though, and I have lots planned for it. Hopefully I can keep up at this pace or something, and hey, maybe I might even be able to update faster. Who knows as of this point.

Thanks so much for the OC's submissions! They're all really great characters and I can't wait to start working with them. It might take some time to introduce new characters and get the plot going, so please bare with me.

As of now, I think I mentioned this before, but I'll say it again. There's one more male spot that's open as of this point, though it'll be rather difficult to get him in. So, new readers if you're reading this, feel free to submit one and be creative with this OC! I'll be looking forward to seeing them.

And without further ado, we close off this chapter. If you have any suggestions with this writing style, feel free to criticize me again. I feel like I had wayyy to many awkward words here, but that could be just me. Who knows?

Bye for now!


	3. Chapter 2: Ultimatum

So… it's been a year huh? Or more than a year. Surprise, an update.

To be honest, I've had this draft out since the first month I'd updated that last chapter. And I've left it as this because fact remains is that, I had no idea how to continue on the last part. Was having trouble with the dialogue, and I left it alone for a solid year. So, I've had about three-fourths of the entire chapter done, but because I didn't know what to write for the last part, I left it alone. I started having some inspiration again in one of my classes at school of all places, and finally got the dialogue I wanted. So sry ;-;

I wouldn't be surprised if no one was interested anymore, but ehhh that's my own fault haha

I might need a beta reader of sorts to keep me motivated and in line though. And to help me out with ideas. If you're interested you could PM me then?

* * *

 **W. R. Winters** – Thanks so much! I really appreciate your support. Even now I feel a little anxious about his character (I have a feeling he's gonna be the hardest character for me to shape and write out), but that just makes it more fun now does it? I still have lots to improve on in writing, since I still feel like a beginner when it comes to writing, so I can't wait to try and get better!

 **yveshku** – And I hope you continue to enjoy the OC's. There's a few more to come in the upcoming chapters before we have the whole group together, so keep an eye out for them! It's not a very large group though, but that just means there's a better chance to get to know them haha

 **PBComplexion** – ehhhh, the Gardevoir's fine. I've already become a little attached to her anyways. I can only hope I'll get Aster's character completely down soon and have him completely fleshed out. He's an interesting one. And huh, I didn't notice how awkward that sentence was when I was editing this chapter. Surprised I didn't catch that, so thanks! And thanks so much for the support, it's much appreciated :)

 **ShaydedLyh** t - I'm glad that you like the characters here so far, and yea, this world is a different one all right. And yes, Aster is a rather interesting one. I think you'll like him and Celestine. Like I said, they're an interesting pair.

A without further ado, here's the next chapter.

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Ultimatum**

 **2149: Present**

* * *

It was when Kaitlyn started traveling with Warren that she realized that was more to him that met the eye.

At first glance, anyone would feel threatened by his giant appearance. His dark clothes and extremely pale skin had set her aback the first time she had saw him, and his height hadn't helped either. And neither did that burn scar.

But underneath that surly appearance was a rather sweet guy. It wasn't that he was a carbon cut-out of one of those princes she had read about in those storybooks early on in her childhood. If anything, it was the little acts that mattered.

Like when he'd offer the last bits his food to her Pokemon when they were low on stocks. Or when he'd slow his pace down whenever they were traveling if he noticed she was tired. Or when he would nonchalantly offer her a spare scarf of his when it got too cold at night. Or when he'd go out of his daily self-training to help her pack up for their next trip instead.

Despite his quiet demeanor, he was surprisingly chivalrous, and she steadily grew to appreciate his company. And his Pokemon's company.

Vera was one of the most delightful Pokemon she had ever had the pleasure of meeting. The Braixen always knew how to lighten up the mood whenever it grew somber, and she'd always look out for Kit whenever Leo couldn't. She had a habit of playing with her stick-wand, twirling it around often while emitting some small flames here and there. Kaitlyn found that rather endearing.

Vex, on the other hand, was rather… interesting. In lack of words. The Zoark seemed to be everywhere at once, and for some reason, never lacking in energy. He never passed an opportunity to prank someone, always sporting a wild grin while he was at it. Kaitlyn remembered the first time he had introduced her to his special ability. To pull off certain illusions. She grimaced. How annoying.

Vex had illusioned himself as Warren, and Kailyn had accidently mistook him as the real Warren. It wasn't so hard to pull off the prank really, as the Pokemon didn't really have to talk at all. Kaitlyn had already gotten more used to Warren's quiet nature, and didn't expect him to talk. So naturally, when Warren didn't speak a single word to her, she just assumed that he was just being himself.

She nearly had a heart attack when the real Warren had approached her. Her own Pokemon were too. Vera just seemed annoyed at Vex's behavior, and the real Warren groaned, as if this was a usual antic.

Kaitlyn had shuddered when she realized this would be a daily occurrence.

But after two months of traveling together, she grew a bit more attached to them nonetheless. They knew how to lighten up the mood, and that was appreciated. There were even moments when she would forget about how hopeless she had been.

However, it was always at the dead of the night that she would remember the horrors of reality.

Moments when she would be still up and keeping watch, with Warren asleep in his sleeping bag. Tossing. Turning. Sweating. Eyes wrenched shut. There were moments when Kaitlyn could hear the occasional uncharacteristic whimper from him. Vex and Vera seemed to know what was going on, and normally ended up comforting him, whether it be by waking him up or cuddling him until he finally stopped moving.

The first time it had happened, Kaitlyn had assumed it wasn't a common occurrence. It was normal, everyone had nightmares every once in awhile. Especially in such a time like this, she wouldn't blame anyone for having trouble sleeping.

Even she did too. Past demons would return to haunt her, her only solace being her Pokemon who had been through the experiences with her to comfort her.

But for Warren, it was something different. It seemed more eerie. He literally had nightmares every single night, if not, once every other night. It wasn't healthy. Kaitlyn wanted to help him out, she desperately wanted to. But the fact remained that she wasn't even a close friend of his. While she might have considered him as a close friend, one of her first friend in years, he might have considered her as a mere temporary acquaintance.

She didn't have the right to meddle with his life. Especially with his past. It was obvious it was a sensitive subject.

So Kaitlyn had stayed quiet, remaining blissfully unaware of Warren's nighttime terrors as she gazed at the campfire, waiting for them to pass.

* * *

It was morning, Warren noted to himself. Not that he needed to anyway. It was plenty obvious it was morning, considering the rising sun.

Somehow, he had slept through his entire nighttime shift, leaving Kaitlyn to stay up to keep watch. She was supposed to wake him up sometime throughout the middle of the night to get her own rest, but he guessed she must've felt pity for him and let him sleep throughout the night. He grimaced.

Somewhere in the back of his head, he knew she was just trying to be considerate. And he appreciated that. He just didn't like how she had to go out of her way to risk her health for him. From the looks of it, with the bags under her eyes, her mused up hair, and slight frown on her face, she had a hard night. She could've used all the rest she could've gotten.

He would be lying if he said he didn't feel guilty.

Grunting to himself, he stood up, brushing his hand over his tangled hair. Vex nudged him, asking him about his night and obviously worried about him, but Warren simply nodded his head.

Kaitlyn turned to him from her seat on the log. "Good morning," she smiled at him, but he could tell it was a little forced. Whenever she really smiled, she would smile with all she had, but this time, she only quirked her lips up the smallest bit.

Just like a certain someone he used to know.

No, now wasn't the time to dwell on the past. He could easily do that at night. It was the start of a new day now. He didn't want to burden Kaitlyn anymore than he had already. He ignored the voice at the back of his head that scoffed at the thought, and instead looked around the campsite to find something to do.

Leo and Kit were already packing up the blankets. At least, as much as they could do, as Kit messily picked at the blankets and Leo hovered above him. He was about to help the two small Pokemon out until he saw Vera make her way over to fold the blankets with them. Well, that option was out.

Vex, on the other hand, had long moved away from Warren to give him some space, and was stacking the inventory with Kaitlyn. Most of the supplies he had found the night he met Kaitlyn were still there.

He remembered when he had first met her. She had been so freaked out by him, he was surprised she hadn't ran instead of hidden from him. Had he been someone else, who knows what he or she would've done with her. She didn't even have a weapon, just her Pokemon, and even then they weren't even that strong at the moment. If anything, she needed to learn how to defend herself. She was going to be vulnerable if she was alone.

He didn't want to admit it, but a small part of him was already slightly attached to her. She seemed to be getting a little more comfortable with him as well, which was a relieve.

But he knew he shouldn't get his hopes up too much. Nothing ever stayed this good.

A sigh from Kaitlyn's direction forced Warren out of his thoughts. She was pulling her wavy auburn hair into a braid, but her green eyes were staring at the bag, in search for something. Once she was done, she rummaged through the bag again before narrowing her eyes. She zipped up the bag and looked up around the trees and bushes. Her strange behavior was beginning to worry him. "... What's wrong?" He reluctantly asked.

"Nothing, it's just," she paused. "There's barely any food left?" She picked at the packs of crackers on the ground she had left out. He could feel her frustration coming off in waves, and in a way he was too. Out of all the supplies they had, medical kits, blankets, water, and more, the one thing they were short off was food.

At least this gave him something to do.

He grabbed his machete and walked toward the edge of the campsite without saying a word. To anyone else, this might've seemed rude, but he knew she understood what he was doing, as she didn't say anything else and instead continued to sort through the inventory. He was going out to search for some food. Maybe some berries would suffice.

Walking through the bushes, he kept an eye out for any other berries that could be out. He knew the chances of that were slim, as most of the berries were probably picked already, but it never hurt to try.

The weather was steadily beginning to worsen though, and he felt himself sweat under his layers of clothes as the sun rose even higher. Hoenn was a humid region, but lately, it was getting way too hot, and he generally wasn't a big fan of that. He just wanted to hurry up, find those berries or possibly extra supplies, and make it back to campsite. Maybe he should've brought Vex or Vera to keep him company, but later he dismissed the thought. If a bandit or intruder made it to the campsite with Kaitlyn alone with just her Pokemon, who knows what would happen.

It was a better idea to leave Vex and Vera there for protection's sake. He could easily handle things outside by himself.

Or maybe he was just paranoid. It was an understandable paranoia though, considering the daily conditions of Hoenn now.

It was when an hour or so passed that Warren somehow found what he was looking for. If he were any younger, he would've rejoiced and pumped his fist out in victory. But he was twenty-one now though, so a smile and a sigh of relief would've been enough.

Now if only he could have easy access to the berries. Because they were seriously mocking him.

Because of course, they all had to be on a hanging tree that was hovering over a large ravine with a river overflowed with rapids at the bottom. What were the odds?

It reminded him of those classic comedic cartoons he had watched as a preteen, sitting on the couch in the living room with his parents and sister. He remembered chuckling at the absurdity of the situation, vowing to himself to never pull off such a dangerous move.

Well, turns out he really is going to do something like this. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Without even any ropes to secure himself, he walked toward the edge of the ravine, climbed the trunk, and took a step onto the thick branch, testing its sturdiness. It wasn't as strong as he would've liked, and briefly he debated on just turning back and taking his chances elsewhere, but soon decided to just go along with what he was doing. It was a reckless move, but what were his chances of finding extra food again?

The berries were probably there for a reason. No one dared to risk their life for some food. Call Warren stupid, especially when he could've just went back and got Kit to get the food for him, but he didn't want to walk hours back to the campsite and come back, with the chance of them being gone. He was confident enough in his abilities to make it out unscathed.

He took another step and let go of the trunk, going onto all fours and placing his hands on the branch instead. He steadily began to inch his way across it, and made it across the middle of the branch, shuddering to himself when he took a glance at the bottom of the ravine. It was a long way down.

He picked what berries he could on the tree, as he wiped the sweat on his brow. There was a variety of them, from Oran Berries to Lychee Berries and more. It was surprising really, who knew a tree could grow a variety of berries. He wasn't aware of that, but he guessed he would learn knew things every day, whether they be big or small. This was just one of them.

As he had no pockets, whenever his hands were full, he would dump them to the ground onto the grass. He hoped they didn't bruise too much, but he doubted either he nor Kaitlyn and the other Pokemon would even care. There were worst things to worry about.

Most of the berries lied around the edges of the tree, which meant he had to go to the edge of the branch to even reach them. And with that meant more chances of the branch snapping.

Warren moved onto the edge of the branch, slowing his movements and being more careful than ever. The branch was creaking dangerously, but he had a feeling it would hold. For now.

He was going to have to make this quick. And with that he proceeded to pick more berries. After just a few moments, he finished, and tossed the berries onto the grass again. With that, he steadily began to inch his way back to the trunk, eager to set his feet back onto the ground where it was safe.

And because luck was obviously on his side, that the branch decided to snap right then and there.

And with that was a sharp pain to the side of his head, lots of water, and a shield of black.

* * *

Morning turned to afternoon, turned into noon, and Kaitlyn was still waiting for Warren to come back to the campsite. It already had been hours, and still, no sign of him. Vex and Vera were already getting anxious, keeping their eyes and ears sharp in an attempt to hear Warren when he returned.

Scratch that, if he returned.

To Kaitlyn, the chances of him never returning again were pretty low. He was resourceful. He was experienced. He had been in better conditions than her when she had met him. But even then, she had to admit even the most experienced people out there weren't invincible.

After all, it was a dog eat dog world. She learned her lesson the first time.

She wrapped her turquoise jacket closer to herself and huddled against the tree she was sitting near. The only thing she could do was wait and hope for the best.

* * *

" _Warren, I can't believe you've been keeping something as extraordinary as this from me for all these years!"_ _A black haired girl danced across his vision, pudgy arms spread out wide as she spun in circles. Her giggles filled the air as she collapsed onto the grass next to him where he sat at. The 6-year old boy groaned in reply at her antics._

" _Feel the need to shout it any louder, why don't you. And before we know it, even the champion of Hoenn will hear your screeching." Warren muttered, only to receive a hard slap at his back. He coughed._

" _Oh shush you, I know what I'm doing," the girl said._

 _He tugged her hair in retaliation, receiving a shriek of pain as the girl got up. Blue eyes glared at him, and he shrugged in response. It was her own fault. She started it._

 _The girl sighed deeply before flopping back down onto the grass again. A moment of comfortable silence, and then she spoke again. "You know I'm not gonna tell anyone. Right?"_

 _Fondness and affection washed over Warren at her words. He didn't know what else to offer, except a smile and confirmation. "Yea, I know Astrid."_

* * *

The moment he woke up, the only thing Warren could put together the intense headache he was sporting.

He was laid down on a giant pile of leaves and next to a makeshift fireplace. He sat up from his laid position, wincing from the dull throb on his head, and placed his hand on it. Instead of feeling his black hair, his hand felt a bandage instead. It confused Warren, because this meant that someone bandaged him up, but who in the right mind would help a total stranger?

Unless he or she were expecting something out of this.

Also, what happened to Vex and Vera? And Kaitlyn and her own Pokemon. Judging from the dark sky, he was probably out for the entire day, and they were probably searching for him. He felt vulnerable without his Pokemon, even though he fortunately had his weapon with him. He was about to get up from his position on the pile of leaves before a voice interrupted him.

"Why are you in a rush? And this is how you thank me?"

A 17 year old boy. Raven black hair similar to his own, a pair of golden eyes, with angular features. To many, this boy would seem like an ordinary teenager, but the diagonal knife scar on his right cheek and canines said otherwise.

The Devil himself. Oh Arceus, he was going to get blackmailed or something was he. Warren's luck was definitely on point. First he had no breakfast, and then he fell off of a ravine, and now this. His stomach growled in discontent.

The 17 year old boy in front of him smiled malcontently. "Warren! It's been a while. It was… interesting to see you in such a position."

Warren mentally groaned himself. He didn't like the smirk on the boys face. "Aster."

Aster grinned. "Aww, why the frown on your face? I would think you'd be ecstatic to see me."

No reply. Aster wasn't surprised at that really. It didn't seem like Warren was in the mood. He couldn't blame him, he wouldn't want to be in such a predicament either. After all, with such an… act of kindness meant that a debt must be payed.

Only a naive idiot would pass up an offer such as this.

"I'm going to be blunt and straight to the point. I need shit. People have ransacked every place I have come across, and with more people dying by the day, that means less customers. Instead of having people come to me, I have to come to _them._ Which is very inconvenient for my sake. So, I'm merely requesting you for some assistance."

Warren grimaced. "What's in it for me?"

The raven-head boy mockingly gasped, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Now why would you ask such a question, when it was I who saved your ass just thirty minutes ago? The least you can do is pay me back with some supplies. Maybe some med kits, food, blankets, anything really. I'm not a picky guy."

"I don't have anything Aster, stop trying."

"Don't take me for an idiot, I've passed by that store and it's mostly empty, except for things I don't need. And with you within the general vicinity, it isn't hard to put two and two together. Don't you have a friend with you there as well? It'd be a shame if I just left you here, swooped on by your campsite, took all your shit, leaving her defenseless and alone."

This was the one thing Warren feared about Aster. An infamous informant, the teen knew everything about everyone. He never ran into trouble, but that was what made him dangerous. He always remained in good shape, always kept his guard, and always had a way to manipulate his way out. And if he had the right cards in his deck, he always drove a hard bargain. He knew too much for his own good.

"Look, I'm not asking for much. And I don't want to play the bad guy here, but desperate times call for desperate measures. We can either take the easy way out, or the hard way. Your choice."

An ultimatum, and there wasn't much Warren could do. The fact also remained that Vex and Vera were with Kaitlyn, and if Aster left him, he would have no way out. He had fallen into a ravine of all places, and the only way out was the climb up the cliffside. And even then, with how steep it was, Warren wasn't sure how possible that would be.

And he didn't want Vex or Vera to be anywhere close to someone he didn't trust. Over how dead body.

He didn't want to admit that a small part of him was a bit protective of Kaitlyn and her Pokemon too.

Warren sighed deeply and made eye contact with Aster. Aster smirked. "I can see that you've made up your mind."

A Pokeball was tossed into the air. "Celestine, teleport us out of here!"

* * *

There were footsteps.

Kaitlyn woke up from her light slumber against the tree she had been huddled up against. It was pitch black, and there was no source of light. The moon shone brightly leaving an eerie glow on the forest floor. A chilly breeze brushed against her, and she shivered lightly. Looking down, she noticed that Kit was leaned against her, the Vibrava barely making any noise in his sleep as his wings quivered lightly. Leo, on the other hand, seemed to be alert and startled, as he stared of into the distance.

Vex and Vera were in front of her, both bipedaled Pokemon with their hackles raised, obviously on edge with the disappearance of their trainer. However, it wasn't just that.

The fact remained was that there was someone nearby, with a high chance of it not being Warren.

Whoever was there was coming closer, and Kaitlyn slowly stood up, leaving Kit on the ground. Leo nudged the Pokemon awake, and the Vibrava blinked sleepily. Upon noticing how guarded Vex and Vera looked, he immediately woke up.

Kaitlyn stood in front of Vex and Vera. Vera took her stick out and st it on fire, ready to attack, while Vex got ready to pounce. Kaitlyn's heart pounded wildly. "Who's there, show yourself."

A voice in the shadows, quiet and subdued. "It's ok, just me."

Warren appeared through the bushes, and his Pokemon's previously tense stances immediately softened. He made his way over to reassure them, giving them both light pats on their heads. Vera cooed in reply, while Vex grinned. They didn't notice Warren's second party member though.

"What a nice welcoming party, pleasure to meet you." Kaitlyn jumped at the second appearance of Warren's friend.

"Um…"

Warren groaned. "He's just here to pick up some stuff. His presence here is temporary."

The stranger ignored Warren and casually walked up to Kaitlyn, who awkwardly took a step back. He reached his head out. "Aster Drake, and you are?"

Leo, on the ground, was getting a little agitated upon seeing how uncomfortable Kaitlyn was, and nearly floated up in front of Aster's face just to tell him off. Kaitlyn, however, knew exactly what the Pokemon was going to pull, and kicked him lightly with her feet. She laughed uneasily. "Kaitlyn Brooks."

Warren was on his knees and rustled through some bags. "Pleasures aside, here's some stuff. Take whatever you want, just don't over indulge yourself."

"Will do."

It was official. Kaitlyn had no idea what was going on.

As the raven dug through their supplies, Warren pulled Kaitlyn to the side. "Don't ask, I'm just letting Aster take whatever he needs to pay back a debt."

"Who is he?"

"An infamous informant. I've met him a couple of times before. Normally I wouldn't associate myself with him, but admittedly, he did save my life today. I really don't want to give him this stuff, but it's the only payment I can give him."

It was obvious he didn't want to continue the conversation, as they both settled into an uneasy silence, with Warren watching Aster and Kaitlyn in deep thought. According to Warren, Aster knew everything. She didn't know how dangerous the younger boy was, but she knew he could potentially offer up useful information. If she could just…

The rustling gradually stopped, and Aster stood up, items stuffed in his blue sling bag. "Well, I'm off. See you all in the fli-"

"Hold on!"

Both Warren and Aster looked at her. It was only from their looks that she realized her sudden outburst. "D-do you have any information about nearby civilizations? Any other people who are actually alive?"

An arched eyebrow. "... What do you have in payment?"

She struggled to come up with a reply.

The teen shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "If you have nothing to offer me, then I'll have to take my leave. Sorry sweetie, but this is a business I'm running."

"J-just come with us then! Until you.. we've… proven our uses?" He still looked unimpressed with her answer. To the side, Warren looked a bit taken aback at her suggestion. It was a given he'd be confused about what was going on though. She never even told him what she had wondered about in the first place.

"We'll share our stuff with you! And offer protection? A group of three is better than one right?"

It was obviously the wrong thing to say, because Aster frowned in response. "I've been out on my own for a while now. I think I would know how to take care of myself."

"No, I-i mean I didn't mean to word it that way. It's just-" She waved her hands wildly, trying to calm herself down in the process. She stuttered over her words, obviously unused to confrontation. After all, she preferred staying the background with her old group, opting out on negotiations with others. "Y-you have to at _least_ be desperate for supplies, since everything's been ransacked. Plus, it's been months since I've last seen another person besides Warren. When's the next chance you can find another customer to your business?"

Aster didn't want to admit it, but the spineless girl did have a point. His last client had been months ago. It was the only reason why he decided to save Warren in the first place. Had he been in good shape with his supplies, he would've left the 21 year old to his death. After all, only the strong survive. Stupid mistakes like that was what separated the weak from the strong.

He sighed. "Information on civilizations was what you wanted? I'll take up your offer, but keep in mind my stay isn't permanent."

She nodded at him before he decided to continue on.

"There _is_ a civilization closeby. In Petalburg City. There's nothing much though, just a small town, but like I said, there _is_ a civilization. If you need assistance, you can go to that city and ask for help. They'd be happy to. There's plenty of food there anyways, especially after your failed attempt with those berries. Just make sure you do that in the morning, because when the sun goes down… you don't want to know what happens there."

Aster made eye contact with the two, golden eyes narrowed. "By the way, if you're stupid enough to actually head there, don't expect me to follow you. I'd advise you to get in there, take what you need, and leave. I'll meet up with you the next route over."

"Because like hell am I ever going back there again."

With that final word and a swoop of his brown hooded cape, the Devil was gone. Warren turned to look at Kaitlyn, eyebrows furrowed together with a look of irritation. "Why would you strike a deal like that with him?"

She looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, I just- We barely have anything to spare, and wouldn't a civilization be the key to our problems? Aster was right there, he was able to tell us the things we needed to hear. I want Leo and Kit to at least have plenty of food before they sleep, or potions if they ever get hurt. And the same goes for Vex and Vera." She didn't trust Aster too, but she knew she needed the extra info. Her eyes shifted over to the Pokemon behind them, Vex and Vera still in high alert but more calm now that Aster was gone. Leo was on the ground too, diligently by Kaitlyn's side while Kit had fallen back asleep after deeming it safe.

If any of them got hurt, she didn't know what she would do.

Her gaze went back to the ground, unable to make eye contact with him, as he spoke. "In normal circumstances, I probably would be more aggravated, but what's done is done."

She tried to apologize again before he interrupted her. "You already apologized once, you don't need to do it again. Besides, to an extent we needed that information. Having Aster come along might hinder us, but we can't exactly do anything right now besides continue on."

Kaitlyn nodded as he settled down next to their makeshift fireplace, lighting up another flame in the process. "Just don't trust him too easily okay? Remain on your guard when he's around. I'm here if you need me."

She didn't need to be told twice about placing trust on random strangers. She knew that enough from experience. Without a second thought, she picked up Kit, who was still sleeping, and sat down next to Warren and his Pokemon, basking from the warmth of the flames. Leo gravitated near her, sitting on her lap next to Kit. She stared at the flames, lost in her thoughts. "Yea. I know."

Kaitlyn didn't know how long they sat around the fireplace together, but she did know she felt reassured under his presence. She briefly hoped he felt the same about her. Scooting back over to the tree Kit had been sleeping on, she wrapped her jacket around her tighter and dozed off, her Pokemon by her side.

The last thing she remembered was Warren draping a spare blanket over her, before she drifted off into unconsciousness.

* * *

 **Kaitlyn Brooks** \- Leo (Petilli) and Kit (Vibrava) - _SnapshotSilica_

 **Warren Monger** \- Vex (Zoroark) and Vera (Braixen) - _W. R. Winters_

 **Aster Drake** \- Celestine (Gardevoir) and (?) - _PBComplexion_

* * *

So that was some unannounced year long hiatus I had. Honestly, I'm not sure how much longer the next chapter will be. I have the entire plot figured out anyways, it's just a matter of executing it. Like I said, I might need a beta reader of sorts, so if you want to, feel free to hit me up.

I can't apologize enough for how long this took. I tried to make this a little longer than the last chapter, but even then, I think it's about the same length (maybe a little short?). Hope you've enjoyed the characters, as Aster's been officially introduced now too. He's… a rather interesting character. I'm afraid that I might've overdone his sarcasm though but eh, what's done is done. Despite of that though, all three characters are interesting in their own rights. Here's to their first interactions.

Until next time!


	4. Chapter 3: Petalburg (Part 1)

Aha, ha… I told myself I'd at least finish up around July with this chapter. Pft, what do you know? It's almost the end of September. I swear, I'm so good at keeping track of time. No guarantees how fast I'll post the next chapter though, college has started and I'm 99% sure I'm gonna be very… distracted…. rip

 **Eon the Zoroark** **-** 13/10? You're not stretching it aren't you? And already spicy? Ahh, you flatter me too much. I remember writing the prologue in a single day all in a whim, and somehow managed to get through the first chapter in a month. Like I said, I'm just gonna hope I can at least meet your expectations. As for the relationship reminding you of Last of Us? Never played that game before, but I guess I kinda am going for that vibe (I've seen a walkthrough or two though). I was going for a Lee and Clementine kind of relationship at first from the Walking Dead Game for now, but it's going to be a long way until Kaitlyn can meet Warren as an equal. I really can't wait until I give them both the development they both deserve. I'm hoping Kaitlyn doesn't appear too generic at first. She's the sweet, naive-ish girl for now. And I look forward to your OC!

 **ShadedLyth -** Ahh no a sentence is missing? Dang, I read through that chapter so many times and even read it aloud once before posting. How could I have missed it. I actually read through it again, and noticed I made a pretty big spelling error too, and give myself a smack in the forehead. Rookie mistakes rip. I'm glad to see you like the character interactions though! I spent the longest time on the dialogue at the end, since it's not my specialty. I'll have to work on that haha

 **W. R. Winters -** And hi again! Thanks for the encouragement. A part of me is still slightly nervous of not bringing Warren's character to justice, but I'm getting more and more comfortable with him as the writing goes on. He's a tricky one, that guy, but he's great as well. Once again, thanks for the encouragement!

 **PBComplexion -** I just found that error out oh god why are there so many mistakes how did i not notice ahhhhhh But thanks again, Aster was also kind of a challenge to write, but hey, that just makes it all the better right? I remember thinking I overdid the sarcasm, but once I started I couldn't stop. Here's to Aster!

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Petalburg (Part 1)**

 **2149: Present**

* * *

" _Heal Powders… Revival Herbs… Wow, there's even Energy Roots here, who would've thought?" Kaitlyn plucked the said Energy Root by the tree, showing it to Leo who was scavenging the area with her. She placed the herbs in her makeshift basket that was made out of twigs, before wiping off the sweat on her forehead._

" _Even Energy Roots? Man, those are hard to find," a voice said behind her. She turned around to see her friend Landon, who was bent down at a nearby bush, digging his way through the dirt. His dirty blonde hair was in a disarray, and he pulled out some more roots. He held up the roots victoriously, a boyish grin on his face. "And what do you know, just found some more!"_

 _He got up and put the Energy Roots in her basket, his Talonflame trailing behind him. Landon eyed the different herbs in her basket and nodded. "Yea, I think this is enough for Jordan. C'mon, we should get back to the group. They've waited long enough."_

 _Kaitlyn got up from her spot and the duo began to make their way back to their base. She was glad to be under Landon's presence. Out of all the people she wanted to be with during such a time, Landon was the person she trusted the most. When the entire world went to hell, before she met the group, one of the first people she had come across was Landon. The boy had been injured with a sprained ankle, with his Talonflame standing guard over him, but somehow Kaitlyn managed to convince the Pokemon she meant no harm and helped bandage him up._

 _They decided to stay together, simply because it was dangerous to be alone. There was no law anymore. People would pick off lone travelers, leaving them for the dead as they took what they had. There were no cops to stop them._

 _Despite of that though, Landon was a boy who always seemed to have a wide grin on his face. His never-ending optimism always brightened up the mood, no matter how unrealistic it may have seemed. He always looked out for her, making sure she was well taken care of, before worrying about himself. In turn, she made sure he didn't overwork himself, as he was constantly sparring with his Talonflame when they had some down time._

" _Just take a breather would you?" she would always tell him._

" _Nah, someone's gotta look after you," he would retort back, making sure to pinch her cheeks before skipping back to his Pokemon. His Talonflame would caw in response, rolling his eyes at his trainer's antics._

 _She didn't know what she would do without him._

" _You really should know how to fight soon," Landon's voice interrupted her thoughts, breaking their companionable silence. It wasn't the first time he had casually mentioned this to her, stating this numerous times._

 _She thought about it for a bit, before slowly shaking her head. "Not now, though maybe later? I've always been more of a medic than a fighter anyways." She gestured at the herbs in her basket. Besides, she thought, she was a horrible fighter. She wouldn't be much use anyways._

" _I'm just saying." Landon stretched his arms up into the air, before placing them at the back of his head. "I gave you some of my hunting knives for a reason. You're not too bad at them anyways, no matter what you say. You have potential."_

" _Yea, potential. Okay, keep telling yourself that," she sarcastically said. "Though I would agree, I do have much potential with these hunting knives. Tell me Landon, how great am I with cutting apples with these?"_

 _He laughed. "Pft, Kaitlyn stop that. Not that voice again, you know I didn't mean it like that."_

 _Her smirk widened. "No seriously tell me Landon. Maybe I should cut some peaches with these while I'm at i-"_

" _Get down!"_

* * *

Kaitlyn jolted up from her sleep, feeling a pang of dizziness from her sudden movement while she was at it. She grasped at her head, wincing a bit before sighing loudly. Next to her, Kit was still sound asleep, curled against her. Leo was nowhere to be seen though. She leaned her head against the tree she was sitting against, and started to gently stroke the sleeping Vibrava, gathering her thoughts together. _That again? I haven't thought about the old group in a long time…_

A rustle of movement to her side shifted her attention, and she noted how Warren was already up and awake. Kicking at the scorched twigs from the fireplace the other night, he greeted her with a blank stare. "Well… you sure woke up rather suddenly. Must've been something."

"Yea, it was," she curtly said. When she didn't hear a response, she knew he wasn't going to pry, which she was thankful for.

It was then Kaitlyn noticed the blanket draped over her lap. She got up from the ground, folding up the blanket. It was surprisingly in rather good shape, the synthetic fibers still put together. It was a little dirty here and there and rather thin, but she didn't really mind. When she was done folding it up, she handed it over to Warren. "Here, did you need this back?"

He eyed it before shaking his head. "You keep it. It's an extra anyways. I've got another one."

She smiled and nodded in reply. With that, she took back the blanket and stuffed it into her backpack. At the sight of Kit asleep next to her backpack, she raised an eyebrow. Kit was somehow still asleep, after all this time. She nudged the Vibrava awake, and the Pokemon gave her a slightly irritated look for her doing so. Kaitlyn simply chuckled, telling him to wake up, as she assumed they would be up and traveling soon.

Warren must've been up for a long time before her, as most of the site was already cleaned up. Supplies were packed and stored away, probably in his own backpack. The only thing that was left was her own stuff, but even then, most of her belongings were already stored away from the day before as well. Vex and Vera at the side were in the middle of a sparring match, and upon closer inspection, she noticed Leo was serving as a referee.

Vex was in the middle of using a series of Shadow Claws against the Braixen, only to have her dance away in every turn. There was a lazy smile in Vera's face, as she twirled her stick and sent a quick Flamethrower his direction. It was an expected move, as Vex sidestepped from the hot flames, before continuing his onslaught of Shadow Claws.

This continued on for a few other moments, and it was obvious that Vera was getting a little bored from the predictable Shadow Claws, until, sprouting from the ground, a blade of grass made her lose her Braixen wasn't expecting the Grass Knot, and ended up tripping ungracefully on her face while she was in the middle of doing a twirl.

Kaitlyn noticed the fire-type pout on the ground as Vex laughed at her face, and noted that Leo was snickering to himself as well. She turned around, shaking her head at the Pokemon's antics, before hearing a screech from Leo. When she glanced back at them, Kaitlyn saw Leo flying away from a weak Will-o-Wisp, and all she had to do was look at a smug Vera to know who did that. Kaitlyn raised an eyebrow at her, and was only met with a shrug, as if it was obvious Leo deserved it.

Meanwhile, Warren was at the side sharpening his machete with a whetstone. "Just let me know when you're ready to head out to Petalburg. It isn't a long journey and we should be able to make it there shortly, but it's best to prepare. We don't know what shape the city is in after all," he called to Kaitlyn. Without another word, he continued to sharpen his machete.

She grabbed her backpack, sat down next to him, and began to sort through her items, making sure everything she needed were in there. As she did so, her thoughts began to drift back to the night before. Petalburg City. Aster made it seem like a dangerous place, when all it really seemed to be a haven of sorts.

There was some shuffling from Warren as he stood up, slinging his backpack around his back and putting away his machete. He beckoned his Pokemon to him, as they bickered with each other, and turned to Kaitlyn. "You ready to head out? I'd rather get there while it's still bright."

She nodded and signaled to Leo and Kit. "Yea, I'm ready."

They set off in a brisk pace. It was obvious Warren wanted to get there as soon as possible, and she struggled a little to catch up. After a while he seemed to notice her plight, hearing her soft pants, and slowed down a little, much to her relief. Silence settled between them once more, and Kaitlyn noted it was a rather companionable silence.

She could only hope that Warren and the rest of the Pokemon thought the same. Hopefully, things would be looking up from here.

* * *

A giant wooden wall was what Warren first noticed was different from the surrounding trees around them. He could hear a small gasp from Kaitlyn behind him and heard her mutter to herself about how grand the wall was. Her Pokemon seemed to be in a similar state, as they fell quiet, taking in the sight. Warren silently shook his head. If she thought this was grand, she'd be in total awe over other cities, especially that one city that was literally made out of trees.

His silence had concerned Kaitlyn though, as she asked him, "So… what now?"

He didn't answer her, as his gaze trailed across the top of the wooden wall, looking for the main entrance. She seemed to get a hint as she shuffled her way closer to him, keeping her steps quiet.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed Vex stiffen up, and by following the Pokemon's stare to see two guard towers, and in between them, a giant gate. In the guard towers were two men, armed with weapons, each sporting a cautious stance, gruff expressions on their faces. Warren signaled the Zoroak to settle down, and the Pokemon slackened, as he slowly approached the them.

"What's your business here," one of the men asked, raising an eyebrow at the two adolescents. "You don't look like you have much."

"We do have supplies, but we're just lacking a few key items," Warren replied, not wanting to show too much weakness. He didn't want to be reminded of his previous, stupid stunt with those berries. The guard didn't reply to his statement so he continued on, "We heard from a passerby that there was a civilization here, and wanted to see if we could get any help. We're low on food, and a few other supplies here and there, but we won't be asking for much. We'll pass on by without any trouble, you have my word."

There was a pregnant pause, and Warren noticed that Kaitlyn seemed to be holding her breath. It wasn't until the second guard turned around to give someone the cue to open the gates that she let go of her breath. The first guard gave them a curt smile and a nod. "We'll take your word for it. I'll have someone to escort the both of you to the mayor to have things settled. Just return your Pokemon in your Pokeballs first and have them stay in their Pokeballs at all time. Cautionary manners. Only long-term residents who've been here for at least a few weeks may release their Pokemon."

Warren dug through his backpack and found the said Pokeballs. Both Vex and Vera looked rather indignant to return in the cramped spaces, but did so without complaining much. Kaitlyn did the same, not before giving both her Pokemon brief hugs. Once they were done, the two walked through the gates as they opened up for them.

At first look of the city, Warren himself was a bit taken aback from it. The civilization actually looked… normalized. It was as if nothing had happened to the world, and everything was back at its previous state. There were people outside walking about. Some children played with the smaller Pokemon. He saw a couple walk into the Pokemart, sharing a pleasant conversation together. A man was even fishing by a nearby pond, lounging on his chair with a Corsola.

It had been a while since he'd seen such a sight. It was refreshing.

There was an abrupt cough by his side, and he turned to see a girl with dark unruly blonde hair, with her hands on her hips. A Mothim was settled right on top of her head, making her shoulder length hair seem even messier. The girl sent both Warren and Kaitlyn a bright smile. Warren winced. This girl was glowing too brightly for his tastes, maybe even a bit smug.

"Hi, I'm Chase! I was just passing by when I was sent here by Thomas. Say, you two just come by?"

Before either of them could answer, she swiftly interrupted them, not even pausing to take a breath. "Pft, what am I talking about, of course you two just came by. Telling by your dirty appearances that is…" her voice trailed off, indicating a tint of disdain. Warren noticed Kaitlyn awkwardly check herself, examining the state of her dirty hair, before moving onto her rumpled clothes. He inwardly sighed to himself. When that girl stopped worrying over the simplest things, he'd never know.

Chase gasped, "Oh dear, sorry that must've been rude of me. I tend to think before I speak." The girl's Mothim trilled beside her.

Kaitlyn finally spoke up, still as awkward as she was before. "Um, it's fine."

Chase smiled. "Glad it's water under the bridge. You never introduced yourselves by the way."

Once again, Warren inwardly sighed to himself. _You never gave us the chance to even do so._ Kaitlyn didn't seem to catch on, as she simply replied, "I'm Kaitlyn. And he's Warren."

Chase nodded. "And? Continue on."

"What's there to continue on?"

"Your Pokemon silly. What Pokemon do you have?"

Kaitlyn seemed to be in a bit loss of words with how blunt Chase was. Warren decided to take over for her, keeping his voice as neutral as possible. He didn't want to give any sign of weakness to the girl. She seemed like she was the type of person who knew more than what she brought on. "Kaitlyn has a Petilli and a Vibrava. I've got a Zoroark and a Braixen."

"Hm, a Vibrava _is_ native in Hoenn, but the rest of those Pokemon are pretty rare. Then again, Pokemon locations have been kinda screwed up lately. I mean, mine aren't native too." There was a soft glint in the girl's eye, before it flashed away. It was as if she was storing the information into her brain about their Pokemon. He didn't know why she felt the need to, it wasn't like he was planning on staying long. However, he was still wary.

Chase continued to babble until they reached the mayor's building. "Come on! Sorry, I keep distracting you two. I'm supposed to be taking you to the mayor's house." They followed suit as she led them to the front door, listening to her ramble for a bit. "Did you know this used to be a Pokemon gym. I mean, I know gyms are relevant anymore, and there isn't a use for them as of now, but it's still a fun fact." He noticed the longing tone in her voice before she shook off whatever it was that she was feeling.

"Anyways here you go. Just talk to the mayor, he's a friendly guy, just uh… don't overindulge yourselves okay?" the girl's naturally cheerful voice quieted down. The sudden shift of atmosphere sent a frown on Warren's face, and he raised an eyebrow at her. The girl's warning seemed eerily similar to that of Aster's from the previous night, at least tone wise.

Kaitlyn obviously sensed the change too, as she softly asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"Just keep your guard up." Chase sent a tense look at the door behind her before continuing on. " Look, I know this here all seems pleasant and familiar, but at the same time, I've never seen anything like this place before. I came here with a group of friends a while ago, and we thought we were finally able to take a break, but we thought wrong. I'm not one to usually warn people ahead of time, but I'm letting you know now. Many people that come here? They don't stay long for a reason."

Warren raised an eyebrow. "Then why are _you_ still here?"

Her eyes narrowed. "I'm only here to finish something off. After that I'm off."

Without another word, Chase turned away down the road and proceeded to walk off. Kaitlyn called after her, "Wait, can't you just tell us whatever's happening around here?"

Her previous crossed gaze morphed back into her facade from earlier, and she flashed the brunette another bright smile. "Now where's the fun in that?" With a flounce in her step, the blonde was skipping off, her Mothim flying behind her.

Warren sighed. He absolutely despised vague people like Chase.

* * *

Only a single knock was needed before a lighthearted voice sounded from the other side. "Oh, come in, come in!"

Warren cautiously opened the door, trying hard not to let it creak out of courtesy, and was greeted by a slightly obese man with a gentle expression on his face. There were some wrinkles at the side of his eyes, as he grinned at the two from his seat. He set down his book onto the stool next to him, waving the duo over, as they were still standing under the doorway. "What are you two doing just standing there? Welcome, take a seat." He gestured at the two loveseats in front of him.

Kaitlyn walked past Warren and settled herself down in one of them. Warren followed suit before the man began to speak again. "I'm William, the mayor of this city. Please, how can I help you?"

"We were told to speak to you?" Warren started. "We're missing a few supplies, but we're mostly missing food. We were told to come by around here for extra kits. We'll make it quick and be out of your hair soon."

William shook his head, giving out a hearty laugh. "Why leave so soon? At least take the chance to stay for a bit. Anyone is welcome in our lovely city."

From what Aster said that night, it didn't sound like such a lovely city. For all he knew, this city could be a trap. "We just don't want to overstay our welcome. Besides, we'd like to get moving as soon as possible," Warren replied, not at all fazed by the man's joyous actions.

"I'm afraid whether you'd like it or not you're going to have to stay at least a night. We do have a medic who will be more than happy to give you some kits, but I'm afraid our next shipment of food won't come until tomorrow. I'm afraid we're running a bit low, but it'll be here by tomorrow," was Warren's answer.

Warren shared a look with Kaitlyn, silently asking her if it was a good idea to stay a night. He remembered Aster warning them about something occurring when the sun went down. Looking back at the mayor, he questioned, "Where will we stay then? We're not going to be sleeping outside are we?"

A shake of a head. "Sleeping outside? Preposterous! We have our many rooms in our motel for you to stay in. Surely I hope you would find some comfort in it. It's certainly better than sleeping outside." The man seemingly shuddered at the thought.

"Really? There's no catch?" Kaitlyn's hopeful question echoed in the room. Warren himself was still suspicious though. There was something about this man's demeanor that didn't suit him well that was a bit similar to Chase's. He seemed like a man who could easily set up a fake facade.

"Of course not dear. Just settle yourselves into a motel room, and get some medical supplies from our city medic." The man settled back down and got himself comfortable in his seat. He picked up and opened his book again, starting to skim through the pages.

Kaitlyn smiled. "Oh, thanks. We really appr-"

She was cut off. "Now off you both go, I've got a very interesting story in the works here." And with that, they were shooed outside the house before the doors were slammed shut.

It took Warren a while to process what just happened, especially with how rushed William was. Kaitlyn seemed to be in the same state of confusion, as he saw her blink slowly to herself. With that, she gestured toward Warren, eyes settling onto the Pokemart at the edge of the city. "Do you want to head over to the medic right away? Or just find a room to stay in as of now?"

The option to stay over in the town didn't seem like the best idea to Warren, especially with the two warnings he had heard so far. However, there was also the motel room they could've stayed in for the night. Staying put inside the motel room while locking the door could be a good idea. He was well aware that they could be risking it by staying, but they only had just gotten in the city. Not many people might've noticed their presence at all, so he and Kaitlyn could just lay low.

He nodded at the brunette. "Let's go to the motel first. We can check out the Pokemart afterwards."

Upon arrival, the motel seemed safe enough. A closed off area with locked doors for each room, Kaitlyn managed to check in easily as Warren scouted the area ahead. He noted the walls seemed to be rather thick, and there weren't that many people around the area, indicating that there weren't many residents. His only issue was that each room had at least a window, but he decided to think much of it. When Kaitlyn arrived with the keys, he tested the lock. Sturdy enough. They could just put whatever available furniture in there

"You think it's a good idea to stay?" Kaitlyn asked as they moved in the backpacks inside their room.

"No, not really," he replied. She frowned a little as he kept talking. "But it seems at least somewhat safe here. We can just stay the night and leave as soon as possible tomorrow morning. If anything, we can just stay up in shifts like we usually do, just to be on the safe side."

Despite her hesitance, he could tell she trusted his judgment as she complied easily, letting him grab the keys that were on the counter where she had put them. With that said and done, they headed over to the Pokemart.

When they entered the Pokemart, the medic seemed friendly enough, just like most of the residents mingling around in the city. Kaitlyn had tried to negotiate with her in return for the aid kits, but the medic simply shook her head, telling the girl to consider the kits as a present. Despite of that though, something didn't settle well within Warren. Even though generally it was the residents' demeanors that bothered him, it was the medic's innocent-like Pokemon's behavior that caused him to stiffen.

An Oddish and a Linoone. The Oddish seemed to be impatient while the Linoone was trying to pacify it. For what reason? Warren didn't know, but the Oddish's erratic behavior was suspicious.

 _When can we start? It's been forever since I've eaten an actual meal. Can time just go by already, I'm starving!_

 _Patience young one. Just wait until the sun sets. You can wait a few more hours._

Somehow, staying in the city seemed less like a good idea.

* * *

 **Kaitlyn Brooks** \- Leo (Petilli) and Kit (Vibrava) - _SnapshotSilica_

 **Warren Monger** \- Vex (Zoroark) and Vera (Braixen) - _W. R. Winters_

 **Aster Drake** \- Celestine (Gardevoir) and (?) - _PBComplexion_

 **Chase McCloud** _-_ (?) and Mothim (Mothim) - _ShadedLyht_

* * *

A boring chapter with a lot of setup I know, but ok look, on the bright side, this didn't take a year for me to write. I honestly was leaving this in the backburner until I randomly, one day, wasn't feeling too well and I noticed my google doc of a half done chapter 3. And I thought to myself, eh, why not, might as well do something about this anyways.

This chapter was gonna be a lot longer to be honest (as it's shorter than usual), but I ended up splitting my chapter plan in half And after a few days later, I find myself finishing up the chapter. Who'd have thought huh. I'm not 100% satisfied with this chapter in general, but the next one is going to be an exciting one, I can guarantee it!

Once again, thank you all for reading :)


	5. Chapter 4: Petalburg (Part 2)

Oh dear god, thank you so much for your guy's support so far. I was a bit taken aback from when the moment I posted the chapter, almost immediately I got reviews. I mean, you guys are so nice, and a part of me is still surprised that you're still following a fic that I only end up working on in my spare time. But I really really appreciate it a lot. It means the world to me. And yess, I wasn't being too subtle there with the previous part. Let's just say I was purposefully obvious ;)

 **W. R. Winters** \- Oh hehe, it's not a feeling that you should be having that that's gonna occur. And it's ok, it's not just you. And yes, I'm not screwing up with Warren! I'll be frank, writing in his perspective takes a lot more effort to do than writing Kaitlyn's perspective, but I can't wait to begin writing the parts that make him interesting. We'll see if his relationship with Kaitlyn will become a platonic/mentorship or a romantic one, in the future. But or now, romance is gonna be the last thing in _anyone's_ minds. But hey, who knows in the far future, it could be a possibility hehe

 **PB Complexion** \- Heed the devil's words! Don't worry sweetie, those bad vibes aren't just for you. Our resident male protagonist is definitely feeling it too. And only on the newcomer's? Well… I wouldn't put it in _that_ way.

 **ShadedLyth** \- I actually managed to get Chase down? Oh dear, I thought I had written her to be too overly peppy and all over the place. I'll admit, the dialogue during that sequence had me stumped for a little while, especially when I was trying to get part of her tactful and devious nature down. She's certainly a joy isn't she? Glad to hear that from you! Oh and uh.. yes. Foreshadowing. Fun times huh? ;D

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Petalburg (Part 2)**

 **2149: Present**

* * *

The fun started when Warren woke Kaitlyn up for her shift.

Now she didn't mind standing guard in the middle of the night, as she would rather be doing something useful rather than being a burden all the time, especially seeing how exhausted Warren always looked — despite his attempts to hide it. The first thirty minutes of guarding weren't so bad, but it didn't take a turn for the worst until she heard distant yells from outside their motel room.

She tried not to think much of the ruckus at first, seeing as the screams were nowhere close to the motel room at all. However, it was when she heard shuffling right outside their door that she knew something was wrong.

It wasn't the type of shuffling that lasted for a few seconds, before fading off into the distance. No, it was the shuffling that indicated a person pacing back and forth between a single spot for a long duration of time, as if he or she was contemplating on what action to take. And when Kaitlyn heard the release of a Pokeball and a growl, she knew she didn't have much time.

Grasping at the Pokeballs at her waist, she anxiously glanced at the lone window in the room. There was an incessant scratching against the pane, and it was obvious someone was getting ready to smash through it in any second. Hands shaking, she bent down and tried to jostle a groggy Warren awake. "Warren. Warren! Get up, get up!"

The only reply she received was a quiet mumble. She heard a deranged cackle from outside the door. "Housekeeping at your service! Why don't you open this door to make all of our lives easier hmm? It'd be a shame if I had to take a crack at this window. Rather rude of you really, I'm going to have to clean up that mess if I do so."

Warren still wasn't fully awake yet. If anything he still looked half asleep, and didn't seem to comprehend what was going on. "Warren, come on. Someone's outside our-"

A crash. Shattered glass splayed across the floor. A Linoone sprang up through the broken remains of the window, landing swiftly on the ground, a few feet away from Kaitlyn. The Pokemon growled at her, sharp claws glistening slightly under the moonlight, shining through the destroyed window. A woman carefully stepped her way through the said window, brushing off imaginary dust from her pants, and once she saw Kaitlyn, she sent her a sickeningly sweet smile. "Oh? What's wrong dear? You look like you've seen a ghost."

It took Kaitlyn a few seconds to process that this was the medic she and Warren had visited earlier that day. She looked nothing like the woman she had seen earlier, her warm persona replaced by unstable one. Kaitlyn let out an unsteady breath, her mind flashing to memories of her old group before Warren. She tensed up when the medic opened her mouth to call out a command. "Linoone. Crush claw."

The Pokemon sprinted across the room with a roar, and Kaitlyn barely had any time to send out her Pokeballs to intercept. No orders needed, both Leo and Kit engaged in the battle at hand, Leo sending out a blowing Petal Dance, in an attempt to temporarily blind the Linoone while Kit rushed in with a Crunch attack. However, due to both Pokemon's inexperience with battling, Leo's erratic attack only ended up blinding Kit, as the many petals got in the way.

The Linoone, using the Vibrava's temporary confusion, pounced off the ground from his hind legs, flew above the storm of petals, and aimed his Crush Claw right at Kit. The attack hit, and the Vibrava crashed into Kaitlyn. She fell to the ground, Kit in her arms, who was groaning as his wings weakly flittered.

The medic laughed loudly. "Down already from one measly move? I almost feel bad for you, having such poor Pokemon. Though that's mainly your own fault too!" Her Linoone growled in front of the medic, ready to attack once again. He glared at Leo, who was exchanging quick glances at Kaitlyn, begging his trainer to call out an attack.

Kaitlyn gritted her teeth. The medic's mocking tone spoke volumes to her. That was all anyone ever thought of her as — a pebble that deserved to be carelessly tossed around. Like nothing.

She was done being useless.

She swiftly got up on her feet, pinpointing her sharp gaze at Leo. The Petilli got the cue. "Leo! Use Leech Seed!"

The small grass type let out a battle cry, launching himself at his foe, but this time, making sure he kept his distance in case he needed to dodge. A flurry of seeds was flung toward the Linoone, who easily dodged most of them. However, at least one of the seeds got caught on his fur, and with that, multiple vines constricted him, sapping up his energy. The Pokemon let out a yelp, and briefly tripped over his paws.

Kaitlyn saw this as her chance. "Kit, get in now! Fly in with a Dragon Breathe!"

A smug grin spread across the medic's features."Ahh, the kitten's got claws. Well then, Linoone, use Slash on the vines!"

The Vibrava in Kaitlyn's arms immediately sprang into action, zipping to the side in case of any impending moves from the struggling Linoone. The Rushing Pokemon meanwhile unsheathed his claws, slashing at the vines constricting him. Kaitlyn gritted her teeth, before sending out another command, "Don't let the Linoone get out of that! Leo, send out another Leech Seed!"

Without a moment's breath, the Bulb Pokemon proceeded to attack, but the Linoone barely managed to get out of the vines and avoid his attack. However, that didn't leave much room to dodge an incoming Dragon Breathe from Kit, resulting in a direct hit. The Pokemon temporarily faltered on his hind legs, and sparks temporarily flickered around him.

 _Status condition. It's paralyzed, that's our chance!_ Kaitlyn grinned, "He's slowed! Leo, Helping Hand, and Kit, get in there with a Dragon Claw!"

A blue aura began to surround Leo, and with that the aura transferred to Kit, who was getting ready to pull off a finishing move. A battle cry echoed in the air, as Kit charged at the already down Pokemon, a blue aura emitting a bright glow around the dimly lit room and setting it ablaze.

And just when Kaitlyn thought that was it.

A smirk was all that was needed to shift the battle against her favor.

"Double-Edge."

The medic's Linoone respectively began to glow in a faint yellow light, overtaking the blue. With astounding speed, he tackled Kit, the dragon type's Dragon Claw barely even making any contact. The Vibrava fell onto the ground, and the Linoone landed next to him, not seeming to be the slightest bit tired. It was as if the recoil damage didn't affect him at all.

Kaitlyn gasped. The finessed speed the normal-type Pokemon had wasn't supposed to be possible for a Pokemon that was paralyzed. He was supposed to be weakened, unable to be as fast as the Pokemon normally was. In her moment of confusion, she didn't notice the Linoone slam into Leo, who had no means to defend himself without any of Kaitlyn's orders. "Kit! Leo!" she screamed, rushing to their aid. However, with her guard down due to her concern for her Pokemon, the Linoone pounced on her, pinning her to the ground while baring his teeth.

"You seem baffled sweetie. You should know that simple paralyzation isn't going to do much," the medic giggled from afar, taking her time to approached the floored brunette. "You wouldn't happen to know of the ability Quick Feet, now would you? Whatever status affect just makes Linoone go even faster, it's a very nice ability if I do say so myself."

Kaitlyn struggled against the Pokemon, frantic to escape his grasp. The medic continued to approach her, and from the peripheral of her vision, Kaitlyn saw her holding a dagger. Kneeling down next to Kaitlyn, she lightly pressed the tip against her neck, slowly gliding it along her skin. Kaitlyn rose her head, trying to keep it as far from it as she could, but the Linoone on her simply added more pressure on her chest, knocking her breath away. She could feel her heart beating, almost as if it was going to burst out of her chest.

A sinister grin rested on the medic's face, almost as if she was taking sadistic pleasure in watching Kaitlyn squirm. "I could be considerate and have Linoone kill you himself, but he'd just do a messy job with it. I prefer hands on experience." The knife was pressed harder against her, and this time she felt it prick her skin, a drop of blood trailing down her neck.

"I've always liked my meals maimed by myself anyways."

The brunette began to shake, wishing the Linoone had just killed her earlier. At least the suspense wouldn't have made her so scared. This was it. This was how she was going to go after everything she'd been through. Even at her best it still didn't make a difference, no matter what she did she was still wort-

The sound of a knife slashed through the air, hitting the medic clean on her side. She cried out in pain, and kneeled down, clutching at her side where there was now a pronounced cut. The weapon clanged on the ground where it landed, past the medic. From Kaitlyn's side, she realized Warren was finally up, arm positioned out from having thrown his machete to save her.

Taking the chance while the Linoone was distracted from the sudden interruption, she kicked the Pokemon off of her, scrambling to her feet to the lone machete. She picked it up, and with surprising precision, tossed it to Warren who caught it with his hand. His heterochromic eyes narrowed, sapphire blue and emerald green piercing in the darkness. "You should know better than to forget about one of your opponents," he said, his icy voice sending chills down even Kaitlyn's spine.

The medic got up, laughter spilling from her lips. "A challenge is always how I liked it, makes it even better when they scream in pain." From her back pocket, she pulled out a surgical mask and clasped it on. She then grabbed for her other Pokeball at her waist, throwing it out. Her eyes flashed wildly and dashed at Warren, screaming out an order, "Oddish, use Poison Powder!"

A thick purple smog drifted across the room, and Kaitlyn barely had the time to suppress a cough. The medic's Linoone suddenly appeared in front of her, ready to tackle her again, only to be intercepted by Kit. Leo was then next to Kaitlyn, in the process of using a Synthesis to heal up the slightest bit. Throughout the time Kaitlyn was down, she guessed Leo and Kit had began to stir from their previous knocked out states, but now they were ready to engage in combat again.

It didn't mean that they were in an advantage at all though. The Oddish's Poison Powder was beginning to affect everyone in battle, Warren's attacks against the medic seeming almost sluggish. His sidestep against the medic's first attack looked as smooth as ever, but his attempts to disarm her were another story. With his arm, he blocked the medic's next attempt of a stab, but he wasn't able use enough force to stop her arm from aiming down at him. Luckily he managed to back up a bit, but it didn't mean he came out unscathed. A pronounced fresh cut was now visible from his shoulder to collarbone. His grip on his machete tightened as he anticipated the medic's next attack.

It was obvious that Leo and Kit were also at their wit's ends, already weakened before but now poisoned too. The medic's Linoone however seemed to be just fine, as there was no chance for him to be poisoned, seeing as he was paralyzed. Despite his paralyzation, the Linoone was just as fast as ever. Without needing the medic's orders, the normal type Pokemon sent out a quick Shadow Ball, and then ran at the two smaller Pokemon, claws glowing in preparation for a series of Fury Swipes.

Kaitlyn forced down her fear and called out her next attack. "Kit, get rid of that Shadow Ball with Dragon Breathe! And Leo, Petal Dance on Linoone!"

Both of the special attacks collided into each other, causing the building to shake briefly. Kaitlyn stumbled on her feet, trying to keep an eye out for the Linoone, who was trying to get close to Leo. Despite the intimidating claws the Pokemon was sporting, he wasn't able to make any contact with Leo, who was dodging with grace and able to keep a distance with the many petals surrounding them. However Kaitlyn knew that if one attack hit, it would quickly be over for Leo, as he was still extremely weakened.

The poison was posing too much of a problem, as the Oddish was continuously using Poison Powder. Kaitlyn's vision was starting to blur. She needed to get rid of that Pokemon right away. "Leo, keep distracting the best you can! Kit, get in close and use Crunch on Oddish!"

Leo was obviously tired, but continued to heed Kaitlyn's orders best he could. As for Kit, who was flying towards the Oddish, was prepared to get a hit in but was only greeted with an Acid to the face. The violet acid hindered the Vibrava slightly, as it was an attempt to blind him, but he shook it off, determined to knock the Oddish out. The Oddish attempted to dodge Kit's attack, but it was a direct hit. Seeing it as an opening, Kaitlyn called out to Kit for a Dragon Claw attack, and with glowing claws, the Pokemon managed to finish the Oddish off.

Despite her small victory, in her haste to take out Oddish, she didn't realize Leo being hit by Linoone's Fury Swipes. The grass type flew past her, hitting the wall with a squeal. "Leo!" she screamed, but she didn't have time to run to him before the Linoone was preparing a Crush Claw straight to Kit.

Without thinking she shouted, "Protect!" A light green forcefield surrounded the Vibrava, and the Crush Claw hit it with a loud _clang_. She didn't know how much longer Kit could withhold it, as he was panting from all the energy he had been using up. With Leo out of commission and Kit barely hanging on, the only wa-

Vex and Vera.

Warren's two other Pokemon were still in his bag, and from how the bag was mildly shaking, she knew the two Pokemon were trying their hardest to get out. Hoping Kit could pull through for a little longer, she frantically rushed to the bag, fumbling through the contents in search for the Pokeballs. There was a sound of the forcefield shattering though, and she heard Kit cry out in pain. The dragon type collapsed on the ground, the remains of the poison effect finally getting through him. With his final opponent down, the Linoone ran straight for Kaitlyn, eyes locked onto his target.

A machete then flew through the air to gash itself against the Linoone's neck. The Pokemon stopped his movements, eyes widened as it collapsed. Kaitlyn's attention shifted to Warren, who had just thrown his only weapon to save her an-

Oh no.

His only weapon.

The medic pounced on Warren and he barely had the chance to dodge her blade, as he continued to jump backwards. Before Kaitlyn knew it, Warren was huddled against the corner of the room, and the medic cackled once more, ready to slam the knife right through his chest. However, with a sweep of Warren's feet, he knocked her off her feet, and then it was a grapple on the floor. A fight for the dangerous weapon. Whoever got the better grip on it would be able to deliver the finish blow.

And then there was an overhanging shadow. And a loud crack in the room.

With widened eyes, the medic collapsed. The bat clattered against the ground. The shadow brushed her hands, and let out a loud huff. "Well, that takes care of Paige, I've been meaning to do that for a while!" The girl's Mewostic let out a satisfied mewl while her Mothim hovered over the medic's corpse. _Wait wha-?_

From the ground, Warren huffed. He got up and brushed his thighs to wipe off imaginary dust, sending the girl a blunt look and a raised eyebrow. "Chase, we could've taken care of that ourselves."

The blonde gave a loud laugh, gesticulating at Kaitlyn and Warren's disheveled states. Not to mention Kaitlyn's knocked out Pokemon. "If you call _that_ taking care of yourselves, then I don't know what to tell you buddy."

Warren opened his mouth to retort, but despite how tired she was, Kaitlyn gave him a small kick to his shin. She didn't want Warren instigating an argument over his pride of all things. With that, she decided to get straight to the point. "You've been meaning to kill… Paige? For how long?" she asked, pausing before annunciating the medic's name. She had a hard time humanizing… _that_ after what just occurred.

Chase, who was just casually digging through the medic's corpse in search of any supplies, glanced up at Kaitlyn. "Oh her? It's been a few weeks give or take." She picked out some extra surgical masks from the medic's back pocket. "Though…"

"That's probably not the answer you _want_ to hear, isn't it?" She picked out some extra surgical masks and Pecha Berries from the medic's back pocket, and threw two of them at Warren and Kaitlyn.

In the medic's other back pocket, Chase picked out two Super Potions. "How did she fit these two in ther- nevermind." Without another word, she tossed the two supplies at Kaitlyn. "You might want to heal your Pokemon with these before I go off onto a tangent. Eat a Pecha Berry or two too, both of you. You guys look like you can't stand."

Kaitlyn fumbled with the potions thrown at her. When she got a good grip on them, she ran to her Pokemon. She picked up Leo first and then raced to where Kit was, spraying them with the medicine. She stroked the side of Leo's head, and gazed at them, sighing to herself. _This is all my fault, had I just been a better trainer…_

For a while the only sounds in the room where that of Chase rummaging through the medic's spare bag and the flap of her Mothim's wings. The blonde soon found the knocked out Linoone and Oddish's Pokeballs and returned them back in.

The girl huffed, before finally speaking. "There's two facades here. During the day everyone's extremely friendly. It's quaint. It's lively. It's safe. But at night? It's like someone's flipped a switch. Neighbors turn on each other, raiding houses left and right. Sometimes people are killed off for the supplies they need."

Kaitlyn flinched to herself. Behavior like this wasn't uncommon, but the thought of having neighbors whose faces others would be familiar with turning on each other like that… to her it was more frightening than getting raided. It was like betraying your own team or family. She couldn't see herself doing that to anyone, much less her own friends.

Chase must've known Kaitlyn's behavior as she continued on, standing up on her feet. "If you think that was bad, it's only gotten worse as of late. What you saw is one prime example. Paige here? She's a scammer."

She kicked at the corpse with little to no remorse. "This bitch had the audacity to target my group while I was gone doing a task for the mayor. Blackmailed a couple of residents to get rid of us in exchange for some medication. It wasn't even because she thought we were a threat."

Warren interrupted her, raising a single eyebrow as he did so. "She wanted to kill them for food, didn't she?"

Chase nodded. "The next day she prompted to make gourmet meals out of them, serving them to residents around the town like she did _nothing_ wrong." The blonde gritted her teeth, and stomped on the medic's face. A crunch resounded in the room and Kaitlyn flinched again.

She continued on her mantra. "She just skipped around, acting all innocent-like. Not a single care in the world. And you know what the town did? They _thanked her_. And she just smiled sweetly back. For all I know some of those residents probably didn't even _know_ it was human flesh they were eating. I guess she got careless today, seeing as she doesn't have any other 'customers' to blackmail. Not a lot of people linger at this town anymore, probably because they already know what happens here…"

Kaitlyn moved to stand next to Warren, holding both of Pokemon in her arms. "Why did you stay then?" she asked, and braced herself. She was almost scared of triggering Chase, with how unstable the other girl seemed.

Instead of exploding, Chase simply winked at Kaitlyn. "Because business, remember? Besides, I'm not leaving until I get rid of that sorry excuse of a mayor once and for all."

Kaitlyn could see how Warren's brows furrowed in confusion. Chase snickered at his perplexed expression, bending down to grab the medic's knife. She clenched the hilt of the weapon with her wrist, her gaze sharpening. "I'm willing to bet my right arm that he had something to do with killing off everyone I ever knew. He wouldn't have just sent me out on an overnight task to get supplies for no reason. The town had supplies already, what was the point of that? It's like he wasn't even trying to be discreet."

The brunette girl was left speechless, her thoughts wildly circulating in her mind. Meanwhile Warren had bent down to pack up his supplies in his backpack, taking out the Pokeballs in there to release Vex and Vera. Immediately upon release, Vex ran to check on Warren while Vera had the grace to see Leo and Kit. The Pokemon's eyes were fixed into a concerned expression, but Kaitlyn gave her a nod, indicating the two would be alright, before the Pokemon went to check on Warren.

Warren gave Vex a small pat on his head to reassure him, as he swung his backpack over his shoulder. "Well good luck with that, I guess. Kaitlyn, let's go," he said, as he began to make his way to the door.

"Hm? Where do you think you're going?" Chase giggled, placing her hands on her hips and leaning her body weight on her left foot.

Warren gave her a blunt retort. "Leaving. I don't think either of us want to stay here for another second."

"And who said you were going anywhere? You're going to help me here," she demanded.

Warren remained unimpressed. Kaitlyn however, remained rooted on her spot. She looked at her Pokemon in her arms, and switched her gaze from Chase to Warren, trying to decipher the best course of action herself. Here was Chase, a girl ready to set out on revenge on the behalf of her loved ones. And Kaitlyn could understand that. Before Kaitlyn knew it, she spoke up to Warren. "C'mon, shouldn't we help?"

Warren hesitated. He then sighed loudly, brushing his fingers through his tangled hair as he did so. "... Fine. You better have a concrete plan though, or we're both out." Vex voiced his agreement by giving a cry of his own, before Vera shushed him with a flick of her tail against his legs.

"What do you take me for? A girl always has to have a plan," she smirked, before skipping out the door, with her Meowstic and Mothim in tow. Warren gave a shake of his head before following along, giving Kaitlyn a look to do the same before passing through the door. Kaitlyn groaned to herself with exasperation.

She was probably going to regret this decision later, wasn't she.

* * *

Outside was absolute chaos.

Shouts. Screams. Shrieks. From cries of desperation to growls of aggression, Warren heard it all as they ran through the dirt path in the dimly lit city. A deranged man ran towards them, seeming hellbent on killing one of them, before Warren ordered Vera to shoot out a quick Flamethrower. It was a direct hit before the man burned to crisp and collapsed. Pathetic.

From a few steps ahead, Chase scoffed at the scene. "Nice job, that's one of Will's lackeys down."

She continued on, keeping up an even pace as they ran. "He's garnered quite the few avid supporters as of late. Surprises me really, the man was never that charismatic, just eccentric. Though I suppose there are uses in serving him."

Warren huffed. "Feel free to elaborate."

She rolled her eyes."Status? Materialistic goods? Or maybe protection. Who even knows," She eyed at a Pokemon battle from afar disdainfully. Their trainers were going at each other, weapons drawn, not giving any mercy whatsoever. "Other than that, we shouldn't run into many problems until we get to the house," she added. "Everyone's too invested with themselves now anyways."

"We're almost there anyways, right?" Kaitlyn asked. Both Leo and Kit had finally woken up and were now hovering around her, warily scoping the premises.

Chase didn't answer the other girl, and instead pulled the duo behind a building nearby, their Pokemon following them. She crouched on the ground, hiding herself under the shadows and prompted for Warren and Kaitlyn to do the same. "Listen, when we get there, for sure a _lot_ of William's lackeys are gonna be there. We either gotta get in there with brute force or with another way."

She then nudged at Warren. "I want you to get around from the back. William's got a backyard entrance you can get in the house by. I don't think anyone's gonna be back there, but just be careful. Kaitlyn and I will cause a diversion in the front before forcing ourselves in. Kaitlyn, you got any moves good for that?"

Warren frowned, not liking the idea of leaving Kaitlyn by herself with a complete stranger. He almost voiced his concerns until he realized the brunette spoke up to answer Chase's question. "Well, Kit knows Uproar and Screech. Leo's got Teeter Dance."

"That'll do. Let's go."

Without a moment's beat, they were off again. He could sense both Vex and Vera becoming steadily more anxious, but he knew they could handle it. Despite of that though, he didn't blame them for being anxious. With the house steadily approaching them, he could feel his nerves beginning to get the best of him, but he shut them down with a shake of his head.

The house was steadily approaching them. A group of people were huddled in front of the building, some dead bodies splayed on the ground. Chances are, there were going to be delivered to the mayor himself. This was what Chase probably meant when she said William had supporters 'serving him'. A bitter taste rose onto his tongue.

He glanced at Kaitlyn to make sure she was alright. Her green eyes were fixed onto the group of people, hands clenched into a fist, ready to take action when she was needed to. He once again tried to push down his concern and slipped away to the back. He believed she could handle herself, and as much as he didn't trust Chase, the blonde was a capable fighter as well.

He'd leave it to them.

Warren kept his steps light on the path, as he didn't want to make a single sound to give himself away. Even if Chase said she didn't think there was a high chance of anyone at the back, he didn't want to risk it. Vex and Vera both followed his lead, as he got closer to the wooden fence and searched around for an opening. He couldn't easily just jumped over it, didn't want to cause too much of a rukus while doing so.

When he found a gap between two wooden panels, he pressed against it, checking out the pressure. It wouldn't take much effort to open up the space to squeeze through. However, before he did so, he felt Vera's palm on his shoulder. He looked at the fire-type and raised his eyebrow, but then heard the voices behind the fence.

"Who'd thought Al would be like that, giving away his own daughter to save his own skin," someone snickered. There was a higher pitched whimper after that.

Another voice. "I mean, no one really wants to get on William's bad side. You don't follow through orders, it's your life or someone else's. In this case, he chose his life over his daughters."

Warren peaked in through the small space. There were two men standing near the door, but it was the small girl on the step that had him taken aback. Her arms and legs were tied up and she was lying face down onto the pavement. Scratches and bruises were painted on her skin, and a long gash was prominent on her leg, blood gathering to the surface. Tears streaks prominent on her cheeks, and she looked pale as she was gasping for breath, until one of the men's — the shorter one's — feet dug into her wrists, and she started to cough wildly. The girl looked at most, 9 years old.

"Think she can fetch a good meal though? She's malnourished," the shorter man of the duo questioned, glancing at the child with a raised eyebrow.

"This kid? With her bony arms and legs? Doubt there's much meat on her left," the taller replied. He kneeled down next to the girl, and made eye contact with her, and suddenly a malicious grin creeped on his lips. "Though I suppose we could have a _little_ fun with her."

Warren stiffened.

A pause. "You don't mean…?"

The taller nonchalantly shrugged. "C'mon man, no one's around. It'd be a waste anyways if we didn't do anything about it. Besides, she's going to die anyways." The girl whimpered, whether it be from pain or fear. He grabbed a fistful of her hair and slammed her face into the concrete ground.

"And, the struggling just makes it better," the despicable man said, voice edging off into a whisper into the child's ear. A scream in retaliation. The girl started to thrash, as if she knew what was going to happen, but with her injuries and blood loss, she wasn't a match to him.

Warren clenched his fists. Something stirred inside of him. A low growl involuntarily slipped from his throat. His thoughts drifted wildly before an image of that small dark haired girl once again dancing into his vision. Pudgy arms spread out wide. A giggly voice filling the void.

Those circles she span. That dress floating against the wind. Her damned familiar voice.

 _Warren, I can't believe-_

 _Warren, I can't-_

 _Warren!_

And he let go.

He kicked down the fence with one huge shove, and the weak panels came crashing down. The men immediately locked their gazes on him, but Warren continued to stalk forward, steps harsh, machete tightly grasped in his hand. Only one thought swirled in his head, words ringing and ringing and _ringing_.

 _Annihilate._

With that, Vex and Vera sprung. Warren could hear the shorter man curse aloud, fumbling with his Pokeballs to throw out. Vera however, didn't give him any chance to do so, as with a whip of her stick, she fired a Psyshock. The man fell to the ground, already knocked out, but Vera's normally calm and collected eyes had morphed into something else entirely. Instead of moving on, she instead kept on going, sending Psyshock after Psychosk onto the unconscious body. Vex joined Vera, sending in a Focus Blast for extra measure.

"What the fuck!" the taller man screeched at the atrocity of both Pokemons' actions. He sent out a Pokeball, and an Ariados came out, legs twitching and ready to jump. Vex though, somehow shifted his attention from the knocked out man to the Bug-Poison type, bared his teeth out with a low snarl and tackled him. Growls filled the air as the Pokemon wrestled, Ariados's eight legs giving him a small advantage, as he was able to catch Vex into a headlock. The Ariados's poisonous fangs weren't helping much either. Despite his advantage though, Vex wasn't easily going to back down, as he was still able to keep up with the Ariados. Meanwhile, the taller man seemed petrified, unable to call out any moves.

Warren called out a command, completely unfazed. "Shadow Claw."

A single paw was out, cast in a black aura with a purple outline, aimed and ready to hit. But as soon as Warren's voice rang into the dark, the Ariados stiffened. He let go off the headlock he had previously got Vex into, and turned to face his own trainer who was still crouched next to the bound girl. "Ariados? You're looking at the wrong person here!"

The Ariados sent a Sludge Bomb right at him. Warren felt a sort of sick satisfaction hearing the man scream from the acidity of the attack. From seeing how the Ariados turned on his trainer, Vex decided to aim his Shadow Claw on the man instead. Another scream occured, and yet Warren felt no pity.

Vera was about done with her Psyshock attacks, her face seeming smug at the state of the shorter man, as she approached Warren once more. Vex also retreated back to Warren at the sight of Vera standing next to him, and both of them waited for his next instruction. He sent them a nod. His thoughts obviously reached to theirs, and both Pokemon did the same.

A twirl of a stick, and an aura of light. And so a fury of flames engulfed the backyard, lighting up the skies. The cackle of the flames charring the grass, the smoky and suffocating scent wafting through the air, the breeze feeding the growing inferno. And all of those flames hit its target. The taller man was then no more but a blackened mess.

Warren was almost in awe, and probably would've been had he not been so enraged.

Taking slow steps to the remains, he unsheathed his machete. Without any hesitation, the blade was buried into the man's chest. And the hilt was then grabbed and released and stabbed and again and again and again and he only stopped when he felt a paw on his shoulder and he turned around to check up on the little girl an—

A dark figure was knelt beside the girl, a hand pressed to her sides.

Warren saw red.

He roared. His mind screaming and screaming and screaming, a nonstop mantra in his head. His Pokemon responded, a Flamethrower and Focus Blast lashing through the air, the two powerful attacks intertwining into a massive force. However, a Pokeball was released into the air in response to Warren's attacks, and an Azumarill emerged. Without hesitation, the Pokemon used Protect, the green force field surrounding itself and its trainer, and the dark figure still looked composed.

Warren didn't care. He wanted this despicable disgusting person gone disposed demolished, but then this figure had the audacity to speak and then a recognizable voice.

"Woah, dude, settle down. Arceus were you _always_ this emotional?"

Warren blinked. Once. Then twice. His enraged state of mind finally started to clear up, and he realized it was just Aster. The younger man looked exasperated, unimpressed golden eyes glancing at Warren, obviously questioning his overreaction. When Warren finally calmed down, Vex and Vera did so as well.

Aster sighed and called for his Azumarill to stop his defensive shield, and the barrier materialized. The younger boy then crossed his arms, scratching the bridge of his nose. "Would you get a hold of yourself? Had it not been for Echo, that would've killed me. Also, I specifically told you to get in this town and get out right away, and yet you're still here? Do you have a sense of common knowledge?"

"Well, things came up," Warren grunted, averting his gaze from the judgemental stare.

"You didn't even keep yourselves discreet, I mean, look at this place. You really did a number to it huh." Aster rolled his eyes, his eyes sweeping across the backyard.

"What do you mean?" Warren asked, before finally taking a look at it himself. It was only then that he realized what damage he had done. The previous greenery, the grasses and plants were burnt to crisp, and the wooden fences were blackened. The state of the two men were almost unrecognizable, the taller man's Ariados also burnt and dying as well. However, what had caught his attention was the state of the little girl.

She wasn't breathing.

Brunette locks were messily draped on the concrete ground, her eyes still somehow opened. But they were empty. Lifeless. Dried blood was crusting on her leg as well, and once again, her scratches and bruises were as prominent as ever. No, it wasn't that that took him aback. It was the third degree burn marks littering around her vulnerable body, and it was then that he realized it was _he_ who did that in his fit of blind rage. He was so engulfed in anger and fury that his one-track mind hadn't noticed that while he engulfed that taller man into that inferno, this small young little girl was caught in the crossfire too.

By extension, her death was also his fault.

Interrupting his thoughts, Aster sighed again,"... Yea, if you're done groveling, we gotta get moving." He didn't mention the girl to Warren, as if he knew Warren didn't want to hear it.

Warren didn't know what to say. Neither did he know what to think. Despite of that though, he tried to shift his attention to something else other than that girl; he needed a distraction, and Aster was offering that opening. "... Sure. We'll head into the house. You can lead the way."

Aster snorted. "Pft, hold on, whoever said we were going back into the house? What do you even need to do in there?"

"I'm not leaving Kaitlyn in there. Besides, we have business with someone else," Warren replied.

The black-haired teenager hesitated, before giving Warren a smirk. "Ahh, I see. Digging yourself into your own grave by giving into favors, haven't you." His teasing tone only grinded on Warren's nerves. He clenched his fists.

"Blame Kaitlyn for that, not me." Warren turned away, marching towards the backdoor. He took what he said back. He wasn't going to let Aster lead the way when he clearly wasn't planning on it.

"That's cute. The fishbone's probably got your wrapped around her dainty little fingers hasn't she," Aster smirked, crossing his arms. His Azumarill, Echo, snickered in his response to his trainer's taunt.

"Think what you like. She hasn't though," Warren said, still facing away from Warren. He opened the backdoor and promptly stalked inside.

"Whatever makes you sleep at night," Aster shrugged, though Warren could only faintly hear Aster's response. The sounds of footsteps behind him indicated the younger boy was following him though. The floorboards creaked as they stepped onto the panels, and Warren returned both of his Pokemon. Aster did the same to his.

The hallway was dimmed, the only light source from outside. They continued down, looking for any signs of Chase and Kaitlyn who were probably waiting for them. Warren recognized some of the interior from his brief visit the day before, and as they made their way to the living room, he saw the two girls.

Chase got up on her feet. "There you are, what took you so long?" She clearly hadn't noticed Aster behind him, and Warren stepped aside.

Aster grinned. "Hold on, the person you've been helping is Chase? Of all the people, wonderful to see you again, still as reckless as always I see."

Chase didn't looked too impressed to see him though, the tone of her voice hardening."Your passive aggression is still as strong as ever, hasn't it?"

"Passive aggression? I prefer the term-"

"Actually don't tell me. I don't need your sass today."

Meanwhile Kaitlyn looked confused, though Warren wasn't surprised about that. Everyone in this room had already previously known of each other while Kaitlyn was left in the dark. She didn't seem to care much though, preferring to stay unnoticed. Simultaneously, both Kit and Leo were resting on a loveseat, as well as Meowstic and Mothim. How they all fit in there, he didn't know, but they seemed comfortable in each other's presence in the brief time they spent together.

Aster and Chase seemed to be otherwise though, as they squabbled. Warren narrowed his eyes at the two. "If you're done, we should get going. I don't want to waste any time."

"Ohh, you hear that? He's on a tight schedule. Thanks for wasting our time Chase."

"Wha- excuse me? That's not on me, that's on you!"

Warren coughed loudly.

"Ok, ok. Let's get going," Chase said. She beckoned Meowstic and Mothim from their love seat and they followed her. She made her way to the nearby stairs in the living room and headed up.

Warren turned to Kaitlyn to make sure she was behind him as he did the same. To his annoyance, Aster was following suit. "You don't have to come along you know."

Aster grinned. "Please, if I leave you out of my sights you two are just gonna get carried away with another quest of yours. Might as well tag along to keep you in line." He then shoved Warren aside to walk up the steps.

Kaitlyn looked befuddled, and she blinked. Warren shook his head. "Don't let that get to you. Come on." He continued up after saying that.

When he got onto the second floor, both Chase and Aster were silent, standing in front of a door. He didn't need to be told what that door was, if anything it had to be the mayor's room from Chase's conflicted expression. Her face cleared up though as she slapped her cheeks, readying herself for her confrontation. Her fingers then rested on the knobbed, and she turned it.

With that, they entered the room.

* * *

 **Kaitlyn Brooks** \- Leo (Petilli) and Kit (Vibrava) - _SnapshotSilica_

 **Warren Monger** \- Vex (Zoroark) and Vera (Braixen) - _W. R. Winters_

 **Aster Drake** \- Celestine (Gardevoir) and Azumarill (Echo) - _PBComplexion_

 **Chase McCloud** _-_ Meowstic(Meowstic) and Mothim (Mothim) - _ShadedLyht_

* * *

Not gonna lie, this took a lot longer than I expected. Not to mention how long this chapter had gotten. Huh, I didn't even realize it. I also initially intended to finish this 'arc' in this chapter, but this chapter has _also_ gotten pretty long too. Writing out battle sequences is a new thing for me too, I didn't expect to get _that_ carried away with writing only what, two battles?

I initially also wanted to get this chapter out by January and I just needed the last parts of this chapter, but of course midterms had to get in the way. Stack onto my procrastination levels and a bunch of papers here and there, and you've got a nightmare inducing disaster. But I've finally managed to finish this and I hope this delivers! Wrote these battles completely blind, so let me know if they're as engaging as I'd hope they are. Next chapter may be a bit shorter, but hopefully this one makes up for it.

Until next time and thanks for reading!


	6. Chapter 5: Petalburg (Part 3)

Oh my god, this fight was a _pain_ to write, but thank goodness it's finally finished. Somehow the rest of the chapter got finished, I thought this was gonna take forever. I swear, it's the fight scenes that I have the hardest time writing out. Welp, Petalburg, it was nice knowing you. Though we'll see what events end up occurring from here on out hehe

 **W.R. Winters** \- Nice battle scenes? I'm happy to hear that hah. I originally was going to have all three of them stay together, but decided to have Warren branch off himself instead. There was a lot of potential ground to explore with that scene, and not gonna lie, it was because of that that extended this 'arc'. I'm glad that worked out! And of course Aster is the only person cheeky enough to banter with Warren like that rip

 **ShadedLyth** \- Welp, more errors written in here, though what can I expect anymore. However, I'm really happy to hear that you think the battle and fight scenes were good. Not gonna lie, those scenes were the ones that I struggled with the most, but the payoff was great! And yes, this town is… absolutely insane, though they're just simply a stepping stone for what's more to come in the future. I can guarantee you, future events are gonna be um… even more interesting haha

 **PBComplexion** \- Yeaaa two years and I've only gotten this much done. We can thank that for my laziness. Though fortunately, I've been getting a lot more inspiration lately to write stuff up. Thanks for the compliment though! I was afraid that this story would come off as 'dark' and 'edgy', but hearing that it's refreshing really makes my day. And pft, you've nailed it pretty hard so far with Aster, he's a tough one, but a fun character to mess around with. Warren and Kaitlyn will be getting their future development as well, so expect great things from them. As for brainwashing and manipulation, we'll see, we'll see~

 **mmcnmb1** \- I just, sigh… I'll ignore your deviousness and move on as of now welp. But you're hitting hard on a lot of things that definitely are supposed to raise a couple of eyebrows, if I do say so myself. And I'll consider taking that advice at hand, I never really thought about it in that way, not gonna lie. Also no, unfortunately the characters aren't going to be picking up any new Pokemon. There'll just be too much for me to keep track off lol. And as for any wild Pokemon left? We'll just have to see about that ;D

 **The Awkward Trumpet** \- Yeaa, I have a rather slow writing pace haha, but thanks! I'm glad to be writing too, it's a struggle but at the same time a lot of fun to play around with these characters in these situations. And about that OC, well, you already know what I've told you before. I hope this chapter brings up a nice conclusion for this 'arc'!

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Petalburg (Part 3)**

 **2149: Present**

* * *

The mayor looked way too relaxed for his own good, Warren thought.

The room was dimly lit, with the moonlight glistening through the window panes. Mahogany shaded furniture was positioned around the room with stands containing sophisticated looking books and silverware. Large paintings hung against the cream colored walls, and centered in the middle was a single desk. Seated from behind the desk in a swivel chair, William innocently grinned, hands clasped together with a devilish smile on his face.

Had it not been for such a dire situation, Warren would've thought this scene as comical rather than intimidating. However, with the way Chase tensed beside him, it spoke otherwise.

The middle-aged man let out a nonchalant laugh, propping his feet up and resting his arm on the elbow rest of his chair. "Kaitlyn, Warren! What a pleasant surprise. I didn't expect to see the two of you so soon. What can I do for you?"

Next to Warren, Kaitlyn tensed as well, avoiding the mayor's stare, her discomfort obvious. Warren wasn't the only one noticing this either, as Chase stepped forward, gritting her teeth. "Drop the act. You know why we're here."

"Why I'm afraid I don't, Chase. I hadn't even the slightest idea you three were acquainted," he replied with a shrug of his shoulders. His eyes lazily traveled to study each individual in the room, and his obnoxious grin only widened.

"Oh, I'm afraid you do. And I know exactly what's going in that tiny little brain of yours," Chase growled. She took a slow, deliberate step at him. "Just what did you do with them? I know you did something, don't deny it."

"Some elaboration would be nice, dear," William smiled. He propped his feet back down onto the ground to lean forward, attempting to spur Chase on. His feet continuously and harshly tapped on the rough carpet, the only sound resounding in the silence.

She raised a single eyebrow from his words, and then scoffed. "You have some nerve, calling me that. What did you do?"

"I wouldn't say I have any nerve Chase."

"Stop trying to weasel your way out of my question."

"Like I said before, some elaboration would be nice."

Chase was visibly frustrated at William's coyness. "My old group. Alexis. Darrin. Glenn. Everyone. It's not everyday when you come back to your so-called safe home, only to find nothing but blood stains."

William shrugged, indifferent and unfazed. "We do what we do to survive, it shouldn't be that hard to understand. They were simply unworthy. You on the other hand, had so much potential."

Chase paused at his bluntness, a disbelieving expression etched on her features. Her jaw gaped for a moment, before she closed it, giving a quick shake of her head. Her blue eyes hardened once more, becoming more and more enraged. "Arceus, some of them were kids Will! We're all still kids! Have you no shred of human decency?"

Her incredulity only made William chuckle. He got up from his swivel chair, onto his two feet. Pacing around the room, he approached one of his stands and plucked a single hardcover book from the shelf, opening it up to search through the contents. With practiced ease, he flipped through the faded pages, the sheets sliding against his fingers, and he finally spoke. "You're quite the naive girl, aren't you?"

He interrupted her before the girl could protest. "Nature is harsh. It's unrelenting and unforgiving. And Pokemon seem to understand this concept perfectly fine. They eat each other all the time, and their methods of hunting is much more inhumane than people would expect. Pokemon such as Heatmor prey on Durant by burning through their steel bodies to eat their insides. They practically burn them alive. Or what about Metagross? They pin their own victims to the ground while eating them. They have their four legs for a reason, and they don't even consider killing their prey first before eating them. Gorebyss have similar tactics as well, but instead of pinning their prey down, they drain them from bodily fluids with their thin mouths."

"If you take all of this into consideration, of course humans would eat Pokemon too. Look at the historical accounts on here. Sharpedo had an overfishing epidemic due to how people craved their dorsal fins, and almost went extinct. And just a century or two ago, Slowpoke tails were sold in the black market. It was a pretty huge topic in Jhoto when the organization behind this got exposed, but it doesn't change the facts that these tails were worth millions. If so why not humans eat humans, it's such a waste of meat."

With that, he shut the book with a firm slam and placed it back on the stand. The middle-aged man then reached into his front pockets, an action that made Warren stiffen in preparation for a possible attack. However, William didn't do anything potentially threatening, as he only pulled out two Pokeballs still in their shrunken forms.

His hands grasped the Pokeballs, and there was a shit-eating grin on his face. "With that being said, how about this? A two-on-two battle, you against me, Chase. No interferences. I know you're probably infuriated right now, but how about we be good sports and have a fair fight. Integrity _is_ a very important aspect in battling, wouldn't you agree?"

"Fine. Bring me your worst," the girl in question replied, with no hesitation.

Warren blinked in disbelief. Although he didn't trust Chase, he was previously under the impression that she was the type of person that didn't let emotions cloud her judgment. It was clear that Aster also thought similarly as he grasped her arm, attempting to grab her attention. "Alright, hold up here. Clearly, you're not thinking straight. You don't actually believe he'll abide to his rules, do you?"

His words didn't reach her though, as she threw his hand off her arm, still keeping her eyes pinned on William as she did so. William chuckled at her ferocity. "Do be careful though, I wouldn't want you to ruin all of this wonderfully crafted furniture here," he mocked, enlarging the two Pokeballs in his hand. He sent them out and two bright lights lit up the room. A Salazzle and Forretress emerged from the Pokeballs, their twin roars pounding into Warren's ears as they took their stances in front of William.

The sight of the two Pokemon however, incited no reaction from Chase. "Oh trust me, furniture will be the last thing you'll be caring about after I acquaint you with my knife," she retorted, before sending out Meowstic and Mothim.

Following that was a short silence, a tense standoff between the two pairs of Pokemon. The only sounds present were the flap of Mothim's wings and everyone's hushed breathes. Everything stood still. Time slowed. And then finally, someone called out a move.

Suddenly, the Salazzle dug her heels onto the floor and sprinted towards Meowstic and Mothim, using her swift speed to get into close range. Despite the threat in front of them though, both of Chase's Pokemon were still calm and relaxed, waiting their trainer's first order. Chase herself was also unperturbed, her eyes remaining focused and unmoving.

"Salazzle, use Dragon Pulse!"

"Meowstic, Light Screen!"

A swirling ball of flames alit in a bright purple light was launched from Salazzle. The powerful attack left Chase's Pokemon relatively unharmed though, as the Dragon Pulse only clashed against Meowstic's Light Screen. Despite of this, it was obvious how much pressure it was putting on Meowstic as the forcefield clashed against the Dragon Pulse, further emphasizing how forceful the violet inferno was.

William definitely saw that strain as he smirked, calling out another attack. "I'd stop being so predictable if I were you. Forretress, Rock Slide!"

Salazzle finished her attack and used her lithe body to jump back efficiently, leaving enough room and space for Forretress to engage with his own attack. Forretress spun his body around and his body started to glow in a white light. A series of jagged rocks then emerged from it, and was flung to Meowstic and Mothim.

Automatically, Meowstic canceled out his Light Screen, and both Pokemon dodged the attack. However, Forretress's Rock Slide still proved to be deadly, as he continuously created more barrages of rocks to launch against the two Pokemon. Warren knew Chase needed to do something fast before Meowstic and Mothim would tire out, and the girl's body language seemed to express his same thoughts.

Responding to William's previous taunt, she shouted back at him. "I wouldn't assume that so quickly William. Mothim, Protect! And Meowstic, use Psyshock!"

Upon command, Mothim used Protect against the last few remaining rocks, the barrier immediately surrounding him and Meowstic just in time. The rocks ricocheted off of it, disintegrating after the rough collision. The moment after the rocks disappeared, Meowstic flung himself into the air, hurling a purple beam of psychic energy at his foes.

"Salazzle intercept that with Flamethrower," William commanded. And with that the two attacks clashed against each other, an explosion of purple and red intertwining, shaking the building to its roots. Smoke scattered across the room, causing Warren to block his eyes and cough. He could hear the muffled coughs from Aster and Kaitlyn's direction as well, but when the smoke cleared up he noticed red and purple spikes littered around the room. However, as quick as he had noticed the spikes, they promptly sunk to the ground, disappearing from his view, further raising his suspicions.

Despite the severe explosion though, the four Pokemon were still standing. Yet another standoff occurred and then duel commands from both respective trainers rang out. Another Psyshock dispersed, and Mothim flew in with powerful flaps, firing out a Hidden Power attack. In return Salazzle sent out a Venoshock aimed at Meowstic and Forretress levitated into the air, going for an attempt to slam into Mothim with a Double-Edge.

The battle continued to rage on, neither side really gaining an upper hand on the other. Both trainers remained smart and quick-witted, easily able to prepare themselves and plan their next courses of action. Their Pokemon only followed their leads, never slacking in their attempts to overpower their opponents. Warren didn't see the battle coming together into an abrupt end anytime soon, especially with the Pokemon seeming to still be full of resolve.

Until something caught his eye from the peripheral of his vision. Something was stalking in the shadows, hidden from his view, remaining relatively unseen. For a brief moment, he considered it to be his imagination, simply his paranoia overtaking his sensibility. Yet, the gleam of its narrowed eyes spoke otherwise. And just as quickly as Warren noticed the figure, it pounced.

However, it didn't pounce onto any of Chase's Pokemon. It's sharpened blades were aimed straight at Kaitlyn.

Warren's hand tore straight to his back pocket, digging for his Pokeballs, but he knew he wouldn't be on time. Kaitlyn immediately spun around at the sound of the figure's movements, her body wide open and vulnerable to its glistening blades. He began to fear the worst, his body stiffening at the sight before him.

The sound of metals colliding then rang, and Aster was suddenly in front of Kaitlyn, his body shielding hers. The figure's blade pressed against the steel rod in his grip, and although it was a bit rustic, it was doings its job well. Aster gritted his teeth, his fists tightening around the rod as he roughly pushed the figure off of him. The figure tried to reach towards Aster, but a rough kick was placed on its side until it backed off.

It was then when Warren got a clear view of the figure. A round red and black head, almost similar to that of a war helmet and sharp triangular eyes. White, metallic hands that resembled gloves with retractable blades. Two other blades encircled around a torso, and feet resembling cloven hooves.

It was a Bisharp, and judging from William's frustrated glare, it was William's Bisharp.

Warren clenched his fist around his Pokeballs. Did that man _really_ think they'd be too distracted to not notice such an obvious ambush? The thought made his blood boil, especially with the Bisharp's lax body language even after his attack. However, in the back of his mind, Warren knew he was only so frustrated because he _was_ off guard from the sneak attack, despite him trying to convince himself otherwise. At the very same time though, this ploy proved something else; William knew nothing about integrity.

From beside him, Aster still stood in front of Kaitlyn, his eyes focused on the Bisharp. "You're going to have to try better than that if you're going to use underhanded tactics!" he shouted at William, his voice loud and harsh.

William didn't reply, instead calling out another order for his Salazzle to deflect Mothim's Confusion attack. He then exchanged a quick glance with his Bisharp, and nodded. The Bisharp nodded in return, and after tightening up his stance, he sprinted towards Aster.

Looks like they were up against three Pokemon instead of just two.

Aster quickly called out Echo, throwing his Pokeball into the air. The Azumarill sprung out and immediately pulled back a glowing fist to charge up a Power-up Punch. It was a clean hit, the super effective attack delivered straight into Bisharp's side, causing him to fall back and pant. The move obviously took a toll on the Pokemon's body, as he placed one metallic hand on the floor to carry his weight, but a prominent grin still rested on his features, only widening when Echo landed onto the floor himself.

Tendrils of purple waves suddenly materialized from the ground, wrapping its way around Echo's legs. With a single sharp tug, the Pokemon was pulled down onto the floor, and a myriad of explosions set off beneath his body. The water type Pokemon let out a yelp and was still on his knees when the purple waves disappeared, but violent sparks still remained on his body. Warren soon realized that sometime during the battle with the smoke, William had prepared a Spikes and Toxic Spikes set up on the battlefield.

From afar, Salazzle was in the process of using Nasty Plot, severely upping her special attack stat. Sensing this, Meowstic let out a Disarming Voice, his loud shrieking voice carrying its way towards the Pokemon. However the Forretress blocked off the attack, spinning his body to deflect the move to protect the Salazzle. Warren knew the Salazzle would be a much bigger problem than she was before, especially after she managed to pull off a successful Nasty Plot.

Aster certainly thought similarly, as he called out his first command. "Echo, use Aqua Jet on Salazzle!"

Despite the poison seeping its way through Echo's body, the water type still found enough strength to charge up the move. Engulfing himself in a burst of water, Echo shot out towards Salazzle, intent on knocking her out with the super effective attack. However, Salazzle's speed was still very problematic, as she dodged the incoming attack with swift ease. Instead, Bisharp went in with a Night Slash from the side, his blades glowing with a bright crimson color as he slashed at Echo. Echo barely dodged the blades, the attack only grazing his side lightly.

As Warren was about to release his own Pokemon, he heard Kaitlyn shuffle behind him. Her hand was grasping a single Pokeball, enlarging it with the press of a single button. She must've returned both her Pokemon again before they approached William's office. Warren frowned, and shook his head at her. "You shouldn't send out Leo and Kit for this battle."

The girl looked appalled, obviously questioning his reasoning. "What do you even mean by that?"

"They're already exhausted from their fight against the medic and from the distraction they created outside. The spikes set up is only going to make it worse when you release them. Best course of action is to keep them uninvolved. They might end up getting in the way," he replied.

She opened her mouth to protest, but he only fixed her with a stern stare. "Don't worry, we can handle this," he said, trying to make his voice sound as reassuring as possible.

Kaitlyn only returned his stare, but sighed lightly. She shrank the Pokeball in her hand, listening to Warren's words, but still kept a hold of it. Her frustration spoke volumes, and he almost wanted to take back what he said as he didn't want to hold Kaitlyn back. However, he wanted her to be aware of her limits, and a battle like this would be way out of her experience zone.

Taking out his own Pokeballs, he sent Vex and Vera into the battlefield. Immediately, the same purple waves sprouted from the floor, quickly trapping the two in their grips. Explosions followed that up, causing a good amount of damage to the Pokemon, though Vera was more affected by the explosions than Vex due to the type disadvantage.

Warren knew that even though this fight was technically four against three, William had the upper hand due to status effects. Looking at Meowstic and Mothim, they had begun to slow down, and every move they did would only get intercepted by Forretress. Whenever either Bisharp or Salazzle would be in harm's way, Forretress would shield them with a Protect.

If they wanted the smallest chance of victory, they needed to take out that defensive Forretress. Potentially, if Forretress was out of the way, then the spikes combination would be canceled out, and Bisharp and Salazzle would be more vulnerable.

Both Vex and Vera seemed to sense Warren's plan as they focused their attentions on Forretress. Warren smiled at their compliance, and called out his first command. Without any words needed, Vex dug his feet to the floor, and widened his stance, a ball of light blue energy forming in his paws. The Focus Blast was launched at Forretress, followed by a fiery inferno that wrapped around it from Vera's Flamethrower. In order to defend himself from the devastating attack, Forretress was forced to set up his Protect around him again.

It was at this moment where Aster took advantage of the Forretress's distraction. With a single order, Echo went in with with yet another Aqua Jet attack against Salazzle. Yet, Forretress still managed to switch over to Salazzle to protect it again, the bright green barrier still shining brightly. Somehow, Forretress's success rate with the attack seemed to be absurdly high, despite his constant abuse of the non-damaging move.

As Warren stood there, contemplating of a way to eliminate the Forretress, he heard a sharp yelp from Chase. As he turned to see what was going on, he saw Bisharp sprinting toward her, his claws glowing with a silver aura for a Metal Claw. Upon notice that his trainer was in trouble, Mothim quickly attempted to block Bisharp off, but with how his wings didn't seem to beat as strongly as they always did, it was obvious of how exhausted Mothim was. The Bug type used Confusion in an attempt to throw Bisharp off, but it was too weak. Bisharp slammed into Mothim, slashing specifically at his wings to further exhaust him. Mothim collapsed onto the floor, his wings no longer usable for the battle with how damaged they were, and though he made an attempt to fly up again, it proved to be futile as he was knocked out.

Bisharp, on the other hand, only gained momentum from his attack against Mothim as he rolled onto the ground, picking himself back up to rush at Chase. His claws once again glowed, and he slashed at her, trying to cut deep into her skin. Fortunately, her reflexes were quick enough, as she sidestepped, but she didn't escape unscathed. Her upper arm got caught by his claws, a deep gash cutting straight through it as blood gushed into the surface. The girl winced, and Meowstic, who quickly noticed that his trainer was in trouble, raced over to her as she ordered him to use Psyshock against Bisharp.

Even then, Forretress still took his attention away from Warren and prepared to rush towards Bisharp, ready to deflect Meowstic's Psyshock. A rush of incredulity made its way through Warren's body, and he was almost insulted of Forretress's apparent disregard of his own seperate battle. He wasn't going to let Forretress get away from him so easily. "Vera, block him off! Use Flamethrower!" he shouted.

Vera quickly leapt into action, and though she wasn't able to tackle Forretress in time, she blew out a spew of flames. The fire separated Forretress from Bisharp, preventing him from defending Bisharp against Meowstic. He attempted to float above the flames, but was only cut off from yet another Flamethrower from Vex, further enhancing the flames. Upon notice that there was no way to escape the temporary blockade both Vex and Vera created, Forretress turned to face them, finally preparing to fight.

Warren could only hope Chase could handle herself out there by herself, but she seemed to be capable enough, even with her large wound. With Aster distracting Salazzle, Warren knew this was the prime time to knock out Forretress.

And with the poison seeping in through his Pokemon's bodies, he knew he had to do it fast.

"Vex, get up close with Shadow Claw! Vera, Calm Mind!" he commanded. With a single paw armed with large dark claws, Vex sprung up at Forretress, buying time for Vera to significantly charge up her stats. With Vex's quick speed and aggressiveness, he was able to directly hit Forretress, aiming for the ceiling. Even with the severity and force of Vex's attack though, Forretress managed to shake off the hit before he collided against the ceiling and retaliate with a Double Edge. His body glowed in a burst of golden hues, and he roughly tackled Vex, slamming him onto the floor.

Once again, poisonous waves sprouted from the floor, curling around Vex's legs. With a firm enough grip, the waves yanked him down, temporarily trapping Vex. The Toxic Spikes was definitely problematic, especially with how unpredictable its random appearances were.

With Vex being unable to move, the Forretress rushed at Vera, his body outlined in a yellow aura as he prepared to slam into the Braixen. Vera, who was still in the middle of charging up her Calm Mind, was forced to cancel out her non-damaging move. Warren tensed up, and called out to Vera. "Dodge it and use Flamethrower!"

She quickly sidestepped away from the Double Edge, and whipped out her stick from her tail. Twirling it in her paw, a burst of flames gathered at the stick's end and was sent towards Forretress. Forretress, who was still recovering from his Double Edge, whirled around and tried to dodge the roaring flames, but still got partially hit. It wasn't until Warren got a good glance at Forretress that he saw his body outlined in a white light.

Warren looked up, and it wasn't until then when he realized the amount of rocks floating above Vera's head. Forretress must've activated his Rock Slide attack a brief time ago when Warren wasn't paying attention, and it would prove to be a grave mistake. He desperately shouted at Vera. "Vera, get out of the way!"

But then everything literally went crashing down.

Similar to a meteor shower, a countless amount of boulders smashed into the ground, gravity only strengthening their impact. Vera didn't stand a chance, attempting to use a Psyshock to explode the rocks above her. However the force was too great, and she was quickly buried under the rubble, the super effective attack proving to be deadly against her health. From afar, Warren could tell she was knocked out in one fell swoop, the poison taking the last bits of her energy away.

Warren longed to rush to her aid, but knew he couldn't get distracted. He vowed to check up on her as soon as he had the chance to, and searched around for Vex. He found Vex at the same place he was before, and though the dark-type Pokemon was panting heavily from the poison, he was still standing, ready to continue the battle after Vera's knock out.

He fixed his gaze onto Forretress once again, but noticed he wasn't paying attention. If anything, Forretress was now more focused on Salazzle's fight against Echo, and it was then when Warren noticed that Echo had the upper hand. Echo was in the process of using Aqua Jet, and although Salazzle was a quick Pokemon, she was forced to be careful not to closely engage with physical attacks against Echo. Aster was making sure Echo was confusing Salazzle, only getting closer when he thought there was an opportune time.

It was obvious Forretress was going to come in as a defensive structure again to support Salazzle, and Warren wasn't going to have that.

As quickly as Forretress was about to shield Salazzle from Echo's Aqua Jet, Warren called out to Vex. "Stop him! Use Focus Blast!" he yelled, and Vex sprinted into action. With a white glowing paw, Vex immediately delivered a harsh ball of energy into Forretress's body. Forretress faltered, but turned around, and somehow managed to charge a Double-Edge against Vex. The physical move rammed into Vex, but the recoil damage took a toll onto Forretress, as his body trembled. Warren could tell Vex was on his wit's ends though, grasping onto the last bits of energy he had left.

"One last time with Focus Blast! Let's end this!" Warren demanded, and as if Vex could read Warren's thoughts, he swiftly striked Forretress with yet another Focus Blast at the same time as Warren's command. Forretress slammed onto the ground, causing the building to shake briefly once again, and was knocked out as well. Vex landed next to Forretress, sporting a tired, yet smug smile at the last attack.

From afar, Aster had a similar grin, even while he was in the midst of his battle against Salazzle. "Finally, that Forretress is gone. Celes, use Heal Pulse on Echo!"

He flung a Pokeball into the air, and a Gardevoir appeared. The psychic type placed her hands together to create a glowing pink ball and sent it Echo's way. The soft glow surrounded Echo, and he was slightly rejuvenated, his large ears perked up again in preparation for Salazzle's next move.

Warren raised an eyebrow at Aster. "Why didn't you send out your Gardevoir before?" he questioned. If Aster had sent out Gardevoir earlier, the battle would've been infinitely easier with her healing powers.

Aster kept his eyes on Echo and called for him to use Aqua Tail. He continued to watch Salazzle's movements, side eyeing Warren as he answered his question. "Well if you hadn't noticed, Heal Pulse takes a lot of energy to use. Didn't want her out here when Spikes and Toxic Spikes was still in effect."

With a quick glance at Celestine, Warren realized he was right. To a far away viewer, she would've seemed unfazed. Judging by her slightly hunched over form and trembling hands though, he realized she _was_ slightly tired.

Salazzle, who was still dueling with Echo, was in the process of using Venoshock in short bursts, trying to keep Echo away with his water type moves. Warren had to acknowledge Echo's tenacity though, as the Azumarill never held back any of his moves, despite him being exhausted. Celestine's Heal Pulse definitely helped matters as well, and he was quicker than ever. However, Salazzle suddenly backed away from Echo and when she had enough distance, she fired a Dragon Pulse straight at Vex.

"Vex, dodge!" Warren screamed. He couldn't afford to have Vex knocked out, especially with how worn out he was. He could faintly hear Aster command Celestine to use Heal Pulse on Vex as well, but she wasn't fast enough. Vex attempted to dodge, but his knees buckled, and it was that one slip up that prevented him from avoiding Salazzle's attack. The Dragon Pulse crashed into Vex, and the impact proved to be devastating as he fell to the ground. Warren gritted his teeth when he realized both of his Pokemon were out.

The battle continued, and with Warren's Pokemon out of commission, the only thing he could do was watch. Celestine, who had used attempted to use a Heal Pulse on Vex just a few seconds ago, looked even more worse off, but she remained focused on healing Echo when Aster commanded it. Salazzle and Echo went head to head, but even though Echo tried to overwhelm her with his attacks, Salazzle was still swift and steady on her feet. It was clear she was only trying to buy time, waiting for the poison to overwhelm Echo, and for Celestine to run out of Heal Pulses that were quickly exhausting her.

Eventually though, Echo was able to get close enough to deliver a Power-up Punch on Salazzle, and once she landed against the side of a wall. Aster's eyes widened, and his mouth quirked into a smirk as he shouted out loud. "Use Protect!"

The Azumarill quickly closed in, using his tail to slam Salazzle back against the wall when she attempted to get up. He then used Protect, quickly surrounding both of them inside the green barrier, closing up any chance of an escape. With such close proximity, Warren heard Aster call out a finishing move.

Echo's body was soon engulfed into a stream of water, and with a jump off his hind legs, he propelled himself towards Salazzle. Salazzle, with no chance of dodging such an enclosed space, used Dragon Pulse in an attempt to deter Echo from the Aqua Jet, but the water type Pokemon continued to burst through it. A blur of turquoise and blue emitted inside the green force field surrounding it, and then it shattered. Salazzle was flung outside of the barrier from the Aqua Jet's direct impact, and she promptly fainted. Echo was found at the area with the broken barrier, still standing. But within seconds, he collapsed from the Dragon Pulse he was forced to endure in a sacrifice to knock out Salazzle.

With Salazzle out, Warren rushed to Vex and Vera for a quick check up. They looked fine, but were obviously out cold, and he reluctantly returned them back into their Pokeballs. Upon realization that one of William's Pokemon was still standing, he turned to search for on Chase.

It wasn't looking too good for her.

Bisharp still seemed to be at ease, only a little weary from trying to catch up to Meowstic. Meowstic, on the other hand, looked battered and bruised, the smaller Pokemon obviously having taken too many hits from the Bisharp. The Psychic type was still going strong though, even from the type disadvantage he had, but the fight was taking a toll on his body. Chase didn't seem to be in good shape either, as blood trailed down from her upper arm from Bisharp's attack earlier. She was clutching it, keeping up with the two Pokemon, but it was obvious her arm was aching from her cautious attempts not to jostle it too much.

Aster returned Echo into his Pokeball, and looked for Celestine. Celestine was right behind them, but her constant Heal Pulses had sapped almost all the energy out of her. Warren had a feeling Aster was going to send Celestine in, but even then, he wasn't sure if she was going to be able to do much. Psychic type moves didn't do too well against Steel types, and her Fairy subtype would put her in a significant disadvantage against Bisharp.

Sensing no other option, Warren saw Aster sharing a glance with Celestine. As Aster was about to send Celestine to support Meowstic however, Kaitlyn came up from behind them and grasped Aster's shoulder. "Hold up," she said before she paused. Taking a deep breathe, she continued on. "Do you think your Gardevoir can handle another Heal Pulse?" Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she studied Bisharp and Meowstic who were still engaged in an intense battle.

Aster looked unimpressed with her interference, but answer her anyways. "She can handle one more, two if we're pushing it. I'm not going to put her into that type of extremity though," he replied. Meanwhile, Chase was jumping back as Bisharp aimed for her again, working to slash at her other arm. Fortunately, Meowstic noticed on time, and created a barrier around his trainer.

Warren winced at the close call, but Kaitlyn still had her eyes locked onto the fight. She then fixed her gaze back at Aster. "Use Heal Pulse on Kit. Celestine isn't in any shape or form to fight against Bisharp, and Kit has Earth Power. It's our only chance."

It was obvious that Aster wasn't convinced though, as he crossed his arms. "Your Vibrava can hardly make a dent into that Bisharp's armor, even if he were at full power. If anything, that attempt will slow us down." In any other case, Warren would've reprimanded Aster slightly at his bluntness, but in a way, he did agree with his statement.

Instead of being discouraged though, she only shook her head. "Meowstic has been using Psychic for the most part, and I can guarantee you Bisharp's special defense has been dropped for a countless amount of times." She took a deep breathe, her fists clenched as she continued on. "I've been watching their battle for the most part while you were against Salazzle and Forretress. Just trust me on this."

"Those are some pretty bold words you're speaking. Trust is earned, not deserved. I don't have an incentive to trust you," Aster stated, an apathetic expression etched on his features.

Kaitlyn hesitated before speaking again. "Do you have any other choice?" she replied, speaking in a slow, deliberate tone.

The boy in question was silent, and Warren could practically hear the gears grinding in Aster's brain, trying to figure out any other way besides Kaitlyn's reckless plan. Even if Kit was more than capable enough to perform a stealth attack, one hit and it would be over for the Vibrava. Plus, there would be no other alternative to fight against Bisharp.

A small amount of time passed, before Aster sighed. "Fine," he said.

Kaitlyn sent Kit out of his Pokeball, and Aster sent Celestine to use Heal Pulse on him. The Psychic type looked unsure, but heeded his orders, crouching down next to the Dragon-type as she formed a small ball of light. Kit shook his wings as he took in the last bits of Celestine's energy, and hovered in the air next to Kaitlyn.

Aster returned Celestine into her Pokeball. "This better be worth it," he muttered, but he received to response from Kaitlyn. The brunette was already focused on Chase's fight, where Chase was hastily dodging another one of Bisharp's attacks. Meowstic was valiantly trying to shield her as much as he could, but his small size and type disadvantage didn't stand much ground against Bisharp. William wasn't even paying much attention to anything other than the battle at hand, and it was clear that Warren wasn't the only one who noticed it.

Kaitlyn whispered something to Kit, and the Vibrava nodded in return. The Pokemon silently flew behind William, trying to prevent him or Bisharp from seeing him. Chase, on the other hand, saw what was going on, and averted her eyes from Kit. Instead, she started to taunt William. "What's the matter? Still having a hard time getting me?"

It wasn't a threatening taunt, seeing as Chase was more injured than Williams was, but it did its job well enough. William's stance slouched, and he let out a noisy guffaw. "If you look between you and me though, it doesn't take much to see who's more injured."

Chase snapped her fingers, and Meowstic quickly created a Light Screen around them. Bisharp jumped back at the sudden barrier, deeming that it was better to stay back rather than to rush in without direct orders. Chase wiped some sweat that was forming on her forehead, and sent William a curved grin. "Oh I'm well aware of that," she replied. "But that's Bisharp's doing, not yours. You haven't even laid a single scratch on me."

William scowled. "That doesn't even matter. Of course my Pokemon would b-"

Her grin only widened. "Poor little Will, hiding behind his own Pokemon. Though maybe I shouldn't say that since you're a grown ass adult."

William was noticeably offended as he growled,"Why you little shit. Bisharp, blast that barrier with Night Slash!" With that, Bisharp's claws were aglow and he took off. His attention was only focused on Meowstic's Light Screen, and the Psychic-type only worked to strengthen it, bracing himself for the attack.

It was a prime opportunity.

"Now!"

Upon Kaitlyn's shrill shriek, Kit dove past William, aiming for Bisharp's back. Cracks began to form under the floor, and pillars of stone shot up into the air. The Vibrava slammed Bisharp into the floor, using as much strength as he could muster to keep him down. More pillars surrounded the Bisharp, trapping him inside a circle of rocks. It was then that Kit's eyes glowed a bright yellow, and when he quickly flew away, the rocks collapsed into Bisharp, permanently trapping him inside the rubble.

Not a sound stirred, and Bisharp was knocked out.

Somehow, it was a success.

Meowstic dematerialized his barrier when Bisharp was gone, and Chase clutched a nearby wall, her head dropped to the ground. Warren took a step toward her, just to check up on her fatigued form, but she instead brought her head back up, a smirk rapidly playing across her features. William stood stock still, trembling slightly as if he was unable to believe how he had lost.

Chase grasped her knife from her belt as she steadily approached William. "Oh what do you know? Your Pokemon are all out. How disappointing."

William took a step back, the small of his back hitting his desk. The desk shifted from his weight, a dull squeak resounding across the room. He put his hands up in front of him, as he babbled. "N-now Chase. Dear, we can talk about this. No need to resort to violence."

The blonde didn't stop moving, and her grip on the knife handle only tightened. "Where's your bravado now? How about we embrace some _integrity_ and have a fair one on one ourselves?" She twirled the knife in her hand, and unsheathed the blade.

"W-we can talk this out! We can talk this out! Just stop, please! Someone help! He-"

Chase jumped at him and the mayor flinched. A single kick was all that was needed to knock him onto the floor, and she pressed a foot against his chest. William was already gasping for breath, frantically trying to shove Chase's foot off of him, but his attempts didn't do much. Instead, she only added pressure, and bent down at him, before slicing at his throat, causing a deep gash. He collapsed, his eyes lulled out to the back of his head, and his head pounded against the floor.

No one spoke for a bit until Aster moved. He searched through William's pockets to take out his Pokeballs, and returned them. "Well that fight just now was laughably easy compared to the Pokemon," he laughed lightly, trying to ease into the tension, though it didn't do much.

Chase scoffed, cleaning her knife with the bottom of her shirt. "I don't even want to imagine how many people cried for help before they died like he did just now. And to think it was all _his_ doing." She kneeled down next to Meowstic to give him a quick pat on the head, checking up on his injuries.

Warren shifted on his feet, and his head started to pound. He thought about what Aster had previously said. Compared to the Pokemon who knew extensive combat skills, William knew next to nothing. He didn't even have any means to defend himself, and was woefully unprepared for any physical combat. It was as if William had been confident, and expected him to win against not only to one, but four opponents.

He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Chase gasp. Once again she was clutching at her arm, her hand splattered with blood. "You guys have any pieces of cloth? This is gonna be a problem," she winced.

Aster shook his head. "In other circumstances, I'd get Echo to clean out that wound, but you'll just have to wait on that." He looked at both Kaitlyn and Warren with a raised eyebrow, silently asking them if they had anything on them that could be used as a makeshift tourniquet.

Kaitlyn started to dig through her backpack, shuffling through its contents. "I don't have anything, sorry," she apologized. "But there'll probably be some herbs out there somewhere. I don't know a lot about herbal remedies, but I have the basics down."

Upon hearing Kaitlyn's words, Warren took off the cloak around his neck. He tore off a strip off of the tattered cloak from the bottom and handed it to Chase. "Here, just make use of this. It's thin but it'll have to do. We're gonna need to get it healed later or else it could get infected."

"Thanks," she mumbled, as she awkwardly tried to wrap it around her arm. Meowstic ended up having to help her, and she gave him a grateful smile.

It didn't take long before the makeshift tourniquet was tightly on her arm. Chase got up onto her feet, and though she stumbled slightly, she quickly righted herself. "We should look around the house. William probably had a bunch of foods in here. Not sure about bandages though."

Without another word, she stumbled off, presumably to go downstairs to find supplies, and that was the cue for the rest to split off. Searching through the house didn't take too long, as one person was unofficially assigned to a specific area. They eventually met back up in the living room area, where they assembled what they found. There wasn't much, as William had too many miscellaneous and useless belongings, but Chase had found a stash of food in one of his kitchen cabinets. Other supplies were found as well, and each person took what could've been of good use to them.

Once they had everything assembled, they made their way to the front door. Aster was in the lead, and his hand was rested on the knob. "I have a small site set up ahead while I was waiting for you two," he mentioned, lightly glaring at Kaitlyn and Warren. "We can head over there. I doubt anyone's seen it."

Neither of the two were able to protest, so Aster opened the door. It was still as chaotic as ever outside, but it didn't seem like anyone was actively searching for them. He led them to the back of some buildings, and they all stealthily made their way to the outskirts of the city. The site was cleverly hidden behind thick leafage, and a thick blanket was already tossed onto the grassy moss. They all released their Pokemon to stretch out after their tiring battle, and each quickly settled down.

Aster stepped across a strewn out log to place his sling bag on his blanket. "We can stay here until you two go wherever you need to go. I don't care where you're traveling as long as you split up some supplies with me," he said. He then crossed his arms, and sent Chase a pinched expression. "I don't know what she's doing here herself though."

"I'm not stupid. It'd be a dumb move if I just left here all by myself. In case you haven't forgotten, but have you seen my arm?" Chase retorted as she rolled her eyes.

"Yea, and?"

"Well, it's not like your opinion matters anyways," she shrugged. She leaned against a nearby tree, careful not to graze her injured arm against the bark, but didn't lose her smugness as she continued to speak. "If anything you seem like you're tagging along rather than leading this "group" you got going on here."

Aster cracked his knuckles in annoyance, his voice rising into a retort. "Tagging along? I never wanted to tag al-"

His indignation didn't deter Chase though, as she ignore his comment and interrupted him as she turned to face Kaitlyn. "Hey Kaitlyn. _You_ don't mind if I hang out with you guys for a while, do you?" she asked in a more cheery tone compared to her previous complacent one. Despite her innocent looking demeanor, Warren took note of the devious glint in her eyes. It was obvious she wasn't going to take no for an answer, no matter what Kaitlyn said.

Kaitlyn, who was in the process of setting down her backpack against another tree, stopped midway to blankly glance at Chase. Her voice faltered as she averted her sheepish gaze from Chase, her discomfort for being put on the spot clearly evident. "Er…"

Warren spared Kaitlyn from the misery. "Do what you gotta do," he muttered. He honestly couldn't be bothered to care anymore.

"See," Chase giggled at Aster, who huffed loudly. "And with that, I'll be going to sleep. Night everyone!" With that, she settled down onto Aster's blanket and curled herself into the covers, not before kicking his slingbag off for good measure. It only took her a few seconds before Warren heard her snores, as Meowstic and Mothim cuddled next to her.

"Technically it should be morning," Aster mumbled as he yanked his slingbag off the ground, clearly exasperated of the bundle of bodies on his own personal spot. "And what's the point in having her come along, she's just gonna drag us down."

Warren didn't answer him, and only gave him a shrug. He got an unimpressed look in reply. "Yea, whatever. Just don't make me regret this," he responded as he lied down on his log, getting himself as comfortable as he could so he could sleep.

If anything, Warren didn't know how he felt about Aster and Chase. While they seemed capable, their squabbles were already grinding on his nerves. Chase also didn't sit too well in Warren's mind, with her manipulative and occasionally condescending attitude. Aster, on the other hand, was way too snarky, and there were times when Warren wanted to punch that stupid smirk off of his face. He silently wondered what Kaitlyn thought about the two, but when he looked for her, he didn't see her.

Kaitlyn wasn't anywhere near the site it seemed, but she was more off at the edge than at the center. Her back was facing him, and she was staring into the darkness from the trees, an unusually solemn expression cast over her features.

"Doing alright?" he asked, concerned over how unusually standoffish she was.

He looked at the girl's hunched over shoulders before she stood still and huffed loudly. Kaitlyn turned around swiftly around, sending Warren a grin with a slight quirk on her lips. "Yea, I'm fine," she laughed.

She settled back down from the balls of her feet, averted her eyes from his intense stare. Her grin was still on her face, but it seemed forced. Her voice trailed off as she spoke. "...I'm gonna go to sleep anyways. You need anything?"

He frowned in response, her uncertainty only raising his suspicion. "I don't, no."

Kaitlyn nodded and stepped away, settling to the ground against a tree. She dug through her backpack, pulling out the blanket he had given to her from the other night. Sending him a soft "good night," she turned to face away from him. It didn't take long for her to doze off, especially with her quickly her breathes started to get heavier. Her Pokemon settled down as well, huddling close to her form to maintain some warmth, but they didn't fall asleep yet.

… _She isn't alright. Isn't she._

 _No, she's not. It's been a long day for her. For all of us, really._

 _Is there anything we can do? She's barely even looked at us since that fight._

 _If I knew there was something, I would've done it already. We should be patient with her. High chance she's thinking about La-_

Their conversation suddenly stopped, and Kaitlyn's Petilli turned his head to glance at Warren. It was a clear dismissal with how the Petilli continued to watch him, and Warren ducked his head away out of meer sheepishness. It was rare for him to be so ruffled over a single stare alone, he thought as he shuffled towards Vex and Vera, but he had a feeling that Kaitlyn's Pokemon were discussing about something personal. His ears burned lightly from an unfamiliar feeling of shame.

He probably shouldn't have overheard that.

* * *

 **Kaitlyn Brooks** \- Leo (Petilli) and Kit (Vibrava) - _SnapshotSilica_

 **Warren Monger** \- Vex (Zoroark) and Vera (Braixen) - _W. R. Winters_

 **Aster Drake** \- Celestine (Gardevoir) and Azumarill (Echo) - _PBComplexion_

 **Chase McCloud** _-_ Meowstic(Meowstic) and Mothim (Mothim) - _ShadedLyht_

* * *

That concludes Petalburg! Honestly, writing inspiration comes and goes. Some days I stare at the google doc and I just can't bring myself to type anything. And yet, other times I'll be in the midst of studying for a midterm and feel a sudden urge to write. Then I'll go back to my dorm and just binge write until my brain is fried. And then the process begins again haha

Oh yes, and btw, if anyone is every interested in keeping track of the written progress, I decided to be extra and slap on a Chapter Update list on my profile. Seeing as my update schedule is incredibly inconsistent and few and in between, idk I thought it'd be a nice idea to have this on, so people won't think I've given up on this fic. Or something of the sort.

Though then again, high chance I'm gonna forget I have something like this on my profile, and forget to update that too. But enough of that. Let me know how you like the direction so far! Any favorite characters so far? Any predictions? Wishes? I mean I know our cast is small, so there's not much to say, but I hope their personalities are at least easy to decipher. We'll be introducing some new characters next chapter, so stay tuned heh

Until next time and thanks for reading!


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